EM Lens of the Month
POCUS vs Manual Pulse Check:
Which is Faster & More Accurate?
The answer might change how you run your next code…
Infographic by Dr Zul Farhan Bin Zulkifli • Endorsed by College of Emergency Physicians Malaysia
SPEED ADVANTAGE
POCUS is
1.39 seconds
FASTER per pulse check
SENSITIVITY
POCUS
99%
vs Manual 62%
SPECIFICITY
POCUS
96%
vs Manual 91%
Manual Palpation vs POCUS
Manual Palpation
- Slower to assess
- Less reliable pulse detection
- Subject to human error
POCUS
- Faster assessment time
- Highly accurate and objective
- Improved decision-making
Clinical Impact
In CPR, every second matters.
Even small time reductions improve coronary and cerebral perfusion, potentially improving patient outcomes.
Study Statistics
Neto ES, Scapin M, Lazaro-Paulína F, Campbell RL, Molinari DF, Kummer T. (2025).
Duration of resuscitation interruption using point-of-care ultrasound versus traditional manual pulse check: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 98, 145–152.
Endorsed by College of Emergency Physicians, Academy of Medicine, Malaysia
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