In medical terminology P refers mainly to the pulse rate. Under normal conditions, however, the heart rate is the same as the pulse rate. Normal heart rate ranges from 60-100 beats per minute, with an average of 72 beats per minute. Women have a faster heart rate than men, and older people have a slower heart rate with a normal value of 55-60 beats per minute. Infants and children have a faster heart rate, ranging from 120-160 beats per minute. However, sometimes the heart rate and pulse are not equal, and when the heartbeat does not travel to the periphery, such as in atrial fibrillation, pulse dystocia occurs and the heart rate is significantly lower than the pulse rate. In the past, a stethoscope was often used to listen to the heart rate and hand the pulse of the radial artery to determine whether the heart rate and pulse were equal. In short, P refers to the pulse beat frequency, and the heart rate under normal conditions is again equal to the pulse, thus often confusing people with these two concepts.