The apical heartbeat (or AHB) is just another name for the heartbeat heard through a stethoscope over the area of the heart on the left side of the chest, as shown in Figure 7.6. It is called 'apical' because the heartbeat is heard directly from the surface of the heart.

What is the name given to the number of heartbeats per minute measured away from the the heart?

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It is called the pulse rate.

The newborn's heartbeats can also be counted by feeling the pulse at the base of the umbilical cord, as shown in Figure 7.6.

Figure 7.7 Checking and counting the apical heartbeat (AHB) and feeling for the pulse at the base of the umbilical cord.
Last modified: Friday, 11 July 2014, 1:13 PM