The regular noise made by the heart as it pumps blood.
A heartbeat is a contraction of the heart that propels blood to the lungs and the rest of the body. This intricate process requires the different parts of the heart to contract in a precise order, regulated by electrical impulses originating from the sinoatrial node located at the top of the right atrium. Each heartbeat is composed of three phases that form a cycle: the diastole (rest phase), the atrial systole (contraction of the upper chambers of the heart), and the ventricular systole (contraction of the lower chambers). The frequency of these contractions is referred to as the heart rate.
The term “pulse” denotes the nature and frequency of the heartbeat as perceived at a specific body location, such as the wrist.