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Pulsus parvus et tardus

Etymology:

L. pulsus: “beat, impulse, pulse, stroke; regular beat of arteries or the heart” + L. parvus: "weak, small, little, puny" + L. et: "and" + L. tardus: "tardy, slow, sluggish, late"

Definition:

Slow-rising pulse and anacrotic pulse, is weak (parvus), and late (tardus) relative to its expected characteristics. It is caused by a stiffened aortic valve that makes it progressively harder to open, thus requiring increased generation of blood pressure in the left ventricle. It is seen in aortic valve stenosis

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