diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/examine.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/examine.dm
index dbb721afa91..754f3b13c73 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/examine.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/examine.dm
@@ -209,20 +209,13 @@
 			spawn(15)
 				usr << "\blue [t_He] has a pulse!"
 
-	if (src.stat == 2 || (status_flags & FAKEDEATH))
-		if(distance <= 1)
-			if(istype(usr, /mob/living/carbon/human) && usr.stat == 0)
-				for(var/mob/O in viewers(usr.loc, null))
-					O.show_message("[usr] checks [src]'s pulse.", 1)
+	if(distance <= 1)
+		if(istype(usr, /mob/living/carbon/human) && usr.stat == 0)
 			spawn(15)
-				var/foundghost = 0
-				if(src.client)
-					foundghost = 1
-				if(!foundghost)
-					usr << "<span class='deadsay'>[t_He] has no pulse and [t_his] soul has departed...</span>"
+				if(pulse == PULSE_NONE)
+					usr << "<span class='deadsay'>[t_He] has no pulse [src.client ? "" : "and [t_his] soul has departed"]...</span>"
 				else
-					usr << "<span class='deadsay'>[t_He] has no pulse...</span>"
-
+					usr << "<span class='deadsay'>[t_He] has a pulse!</span>"
 
 	msg += "<span class='warning'>"
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
index 58c0f09373c..c357004ecee 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
@@ -1238,9 +1238,9 @@ mob/living/carbon/human/yank_out_object()
 		"You begin counting your pulse.")
 
 	if(src.pulse)
-		usr << "\blue [self ? "I have" : "[src] has"] pulse! Counting..."
+		usr << "\blue [self ? "You have a" : "[src] has"] pulse! Counting..."
 	else
-		usr << "\red [src] has no pulse!"
+		usr << "\red [src] has no pulse!"	//it is REALLY UNLIKELY that a dead person would check his own pulse
 		return
 
 	usr << "Don't move until counting is finished."
@@ -1249,5 +1249,5 @@ mob/living/carbon/human/yank_out_object()
 	if(usr.l_move_time >= time)	//checks if our mob has moved during the sleep()
 		usr << "You moved while counting. Try again."
 	else
-		usr << "\blue [self ? "My" : "[src]'s"] pulse is [src.get_pulse(GETPULSE_HAND)]."
+		usr << "\blue [self ? "Your" : "[src]'s"] pulse is [src.get_pulse(GETPULSE_HAND)]."
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm
index 1806bf17000..edbbaf54678 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm
@@ -1417,7 +1417,7 @@
 			Paralyse(rand(15,28))
 
 	proc/handle_pulse()
-		//if(life_tick % 100) return pulse	//update pulse every 100 life ticks
+		if(life_tick % 5) return pulse	//update pulse every 5 life ticks (~1 tick/sec, depending on server load)
 
 		if(stat == DEAD)
 			return PULSE_NONE	//that's it, you're dead, nothing can influence your pulse
@@ -1427,17 +1427,17 @@
 		if(round(vessel.get_reagent_amount("blood")) <= BLOOD_VOLUME_BAD)	//how much blood do we have
 			temp = PULSE_THREADY	//not enough :(
 
-		if(reagents.get_reagent_amount("zombiepowder"))
+		if(status_flags & FAKEDEATH)
 			temp = PULSE_NONE		//pretend that we're dead. unlike actual death, can be inflienced by meds
 
-		for(var/R in bradycardics)
-			if(reagents.get_reagent_amount(R))
+		for(var/datum/reagent/R in reagents.reagent_list)
+			if(R.id in bradycardics)
 				if(temp <= PULSE_THREADY && temp >= PULSE_NORM)
 					temp--
 					break		//one reagent is enough
 								//comment out the breaks to make med effects stack
-		for(var/R in tachycardics)				//handles different chems' influence on pulse
-			if(reagents.get_reagent_amount(R))
+		for(var/datum/reagent/R in reagents.reagent_list)				//handles different chems' influence on pulse
+			if(R.id in tachycardics)
 				if(temp <= PULSE_FAST && temp >= PULSE_NONE)
 					temp++
 					break