The carotid pulse of patients with severe aortic stenosis may be anacrotic.

An anacrotic pulse is a small pulse with a shoulder on the initial upstroke followed by a slow rising, late peak.

This pulse is also termed parvus et tardus. Parvus refers to the small volume of the pulse and tardus refers to the late, ill-defined peak. There is frequently a palpable shudder or thrill over the carotid vessels of patients with this type of pulse.