Both are dynamic and change rapidly with factors like exercise, stress, injury and illness. Therefore, the heart rate and the pulse rate are similar in healthy individuals. Pulse initiates following the heart beating. In contrast, pulse rate refers to the contraction and relaxation rate of the arteries following the entry of blood into arteries. Heart rate refers to the contraction and relaxation rate of the cardiac muscles. The confusion between the terms heart rate and pulse rate can be solved based on its definition. That is heart rate is measured by an ECG machine or heart rate monitor while the pulse rate is measured by the pulse meter or infrared monitor.īelow is an infographic on the difference between heart rate and pulse rate. Method of measurement is another difference between heart rate and pulse rate. This is the key difference between heart rate and pulse rate. Hence, when cardiac muscles contract and relax, heart rate occurs while when the arteries contract and relax in response to blood flow, pulse rate occurs. A pulse is the expansion and contraction of an artery. The forcing of the blood to pass through the arteries results in the formation of the pulse. The heart beat forces blood to pass through the arteries. The contraction of the heart results in a heartbeat. What is the Difference Between Heart Rate and Pulse Rate? Besides, both are involuntary actions which take place rhythmically.Moreover, both are in a similar range in healthy individuals.Also, they change with factors such as exercise, stress, injury, illness, age and gender.The action of the cardiac muscle initiates both the heart rate and pulse rate.We can observe the heart rate and pulse rate until the death of an organism.

What are the Similarities Between Heart Rate and Pulse Rate? The cardiac muscles never get fatigue until death. The contraction and relaxation of cardiac muscles is an involuntary action and takes place rhythmically. A heart rate monitor or an Electrocardiogram (ECG) machine is used to measure the heart rate.

Generally, the heart rate of women is higher than males. But, with age, the heart rate may increase from 60 -100 beats per minute. An average healthy adult has a heart rate of 60-80 beats per minute. Heart rate also referred to as the heartbeat, is the rate at which the heart muscles contract and relax when the blood exits and enters the heart. Side by Side Comparison – Heart Rate vs Pulse Rate in Tabular Form

Similarities Between Heart Rate and Pulse Rateĥ. Both measure around 60 – 100 beats per minute in a healthy individual. Hence, there is a minute difference in the rates of both.

Therefore, pulse rate refers to the artery contraction and expansion when the blood passes. However, the pulse rate initiates at heart, when the heart muscles start contracting and relaxing. Heart rate refers to the rate of heart contraction and relaxation. Heart rate and pulse rate are often confusing as they are more or less similar. In contrast, Pulse rate is the rate at which the artery expands and contracts when blood passes. Heart Rate is the rate at which the heart contracts and relaxes. The key difference between heart rate and pulse rate is based on their definitions.