AAMA CMA Practice Question

In patients with atrial fibrillation, irregular heart rhythms can make peripheral pulse assessment challenging. The peripheral pulses, like the radial or dorsalis pedis, may not provide an accurate reflection of the heart's activity due to pulse deficit, where all heartbeats are not strong enough to be palpable at peripheral sites. The apical pulse, auscultated at the fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line, allows for direct assessment of heartbeats and is the most reliable for detecting all cardiac contractions, making it the most effective in evaluating rhythm and rate in atrial fibrillation.