脉搏跳动急促，几次才出现一次停顿，这是脉象急促的表现。这属于阳气有余而阴液不足，体内痰火煎熬，或者导致气喘咳嗽，或者出现斑疹毒邪。（皮肤上紫红色成片的是斑，黑色斑疹难以治疗，痈疽都属于毒邪。）
（代脉）
脉搏跳动中途停止且不能立即恢复，如果停顿的次数有固定规律，这就叫做代脉。这不一定都是伤寒引起的心悸，也可能是腹痛、泄泻痢疾造成的危害，久病出现这种脉象确实凶险。（扁鹊说：脉搏每五次跳动有一次停顿，不再增减；或者七次跳动有一次停顿，不再增减的，经典命名为代脉，主死证。）普通人如果出现代脉也是内脏败坏的表现。（《灵枢》说：一昼夜人体气血循环五十周，以滋养五脏的精气。所谓五十周，就是切按患者的寸口脉，计算其搏动次数。五十次搏动中没有一次停顿的，说明五脏都接受了精气；四十次搏动中出现一次停顿的，说明有一脏没有精气；三十次搏动中出现一次停顿的，说明有两脏没有精气；二十次搏动中出现一次停顿的，说明有三脏没有精气；十次搏动中出现一次停顿的，说明五脏都没有精气，预后不良……）
A pulse that beats several times before a pause is extremely rapid (Cu Mai, 促脉). This indicates an excess of Yang and a deficiency of Yin. The simmering of phlegm-fire may lead to wheezing and coughing, or the appearance of macules and toxic eruptions. (Macules refer to purple-red patches on the skin; black macules are difficult to treat, and carbuncles and sores all involve toxicity.)
(Dai Mai, 代脉)
The pulse beats but stops midway and cannot return immediately. If the pauses occur at regular intervals, it is named Dai Mai (Intermittent Pulse). It is not necessarily caused by palpitations due to Cold Damage (Shanghan), but may also result from abdominal pain, diarrhea, or dysentery causing harm. In chronic diseases, its presence is indeed ominous. (Bian Que stated: A pulse that stops once every five beats without further increase or decrease, or once every seven beats without further increase or decrease, is classically named Dai Mai, indicating death.) Even in healthy individuals, the appearance of this pulse signifies the failure of the internal organs. (The Ling Shu states: In one day and night, the Qi circulates fifty cycles to nourish the essence of the Five Zang organs. To determine this, one holds the pulse at the Cun Kou position and counts the beats. If there is no intermittent pause after fifty beats, all Five Zang organs receive Qi; if there is one pause after forty beats, one Zang organ lacks Qi; if there is one pause after thirty beats, two Zang organs lack Qi; if there is one pause after twenty beats, three Zang organs lack Qi; if there is one pause after ten beats, all Five Zang organs lack Qi, [indicating a poor prognosis]...)