Accelerated pulse
Tachycardia is the clinical name for an accelerated pulse, and it is a heart rate of 100 or more beats in one minute at rest. Almost half patients with a pulmonary embolism have tachycardia, and it is the result of the weak pulse. Trying to balance the cardiovascular function, the heart attempts to compensate not beating hard enough with an accelerated pulse so that oxygenated blood can reach the rest of the body.
The effect is further increased by the central nervous system, which detects a lower level of oxygen and starts sending signals to the heart forcing it to double its pumping work. When sustained for enough time, this may cause a hemodynamic collapse, which is one of the reasons why we should look for urgent medical attention when suspecting pulmonary embolism.
