Anacrotic pulse is associated with which condition?

Anacrotic pulse is associated with which condition?

• A. Aortic stenosis
• B. Pulmonary embolism
• C. Atrial fibrillation
• D. Pulmonic stenosis

Answer: (A)

Anacrotic pulse refers to a slow, prolonged upstroke of the arterial pulse, reflecting delayed left ventricular outflow. This pattern is classic for aortic stenosis, where a narrowed aortic valve makes it harder for the ventricle to eject blood into the aorta, causing the systolic upstroke to be prolonged and peak to be reached slowly. It often occurs with pulsus parvus et tardus (small, late-rising pulse) due to the same outflow obstruction. Other conditions don’t produce this contour: atrial fibrillation gives an irregular pulse with no steady upstroke; pulmonary embolism tends to cause tachycardia and a different pulse profile; pulmonic stenosis involves the right heart and presents with different signs. So the anacrotic pulse points to aortic stenosis.

Anacrotic pulse refers to a slow, prolonged upstroke of the arterial pulse, reflecting delayed left ventricular outflow. This pattern is classic for aortic stenosis, where a narrowed aortic valve makes it harder for the ventricle to eject blood into the aorta, causing the systolic upstroke to be prolonged and peak to be reached slowly. It often occurs with pulsus parvus et tardus (small, late-rising pulse) due to the same outflow obstruction. Other conditions don’t produce this contour: atrial fibrillation gives an irregular pulse with no steady upstroke; pulmonary embolism tends to cause tachycardia and a different pulse profile; pulmonic stenosis involves the right heart and presents with different signs. So the anacrotic pulse points to aortic stenosis.