Which of the following is not a sign of inflammation?

In the context of the inflammatory response, signs typically include redness (rubor), swelling (tumor), pain (dolor), and heat (calor) at the affected site. These signs are the result of increased blood flow and the body’s immune response to injury or infection.

Increased heart rate, while it may occur as a physiological response to stress, pain, or infection, is not a localized sign of inflammation. Rather, it is a systemic response that may occur in various situations, not limited to inflammatory processes. Therefore, it does not belong to the classic signs of inflammation that are directly associated with the local effects at the site of injury. This distinction highlights why increased heart rate stands out from the other options, which are directly related to the area experiencing inflammation.