Which artery at the wrist is commonly used to measure a person's pulse?

The artery at the wrist commonly used to measure a person’s pulse is the radial artery.

The radial artery runs along the thumb side of the forearm. Near the wrist, it lies relatively close to the skin between the tendons of the brachioradialis and flexor carpi radialis, making its pressure wave easy to feel. Clinicians can count these beats to estimate heart rate and assess rhythm.

The vessel begins where the brachial artery divides near the elbow. It travels toward the wrist, curves around the lateral side of the hand through the anatomical snuffbox, and contributes substantially to the deep palmar arch. Its companion vessel, the ulnar artery, supplies the little-finger side of the forearm and hand.

The carotid artery in the neck and femoral artery in the groin can also provide palpable pulses, especially in clinical emergencies, but they are not the usual wrist site. The radial pulse is convenient and generally safer to check than pressing deeply on larger central arteries. Pulse presence alone, however, cannot precisely determine blood pressure.