In this paper we present a technique based on self-mixing interferometry as a method for the acquisition and reconstruction of the arterial pulse wave. A modification of the classic fringe counting reconstruction algorithm is proposed to deal with some of the problems caused by biological tissue surface roughness, therefore allowing a reconstruction of the arterial displacement with a resolution of 400 nm. The traits of the arterial pulse wave have been retrieved with high detail, allowing their interpretation by a skilled practitioner. The heart beat measurements show a good agreement when compared to the readings of a commercial pulse-meter, therefore proving the versatility and the viability of the technique for the measurement of other cardiovascular signals.