What’s A Normal Resting Heart Rate
For adults, a good resting heart rate varies from person to person and depends on various factors: whether you’re on medication, laying down or standing up, standing still or on-the-move, stressed or relaxed.
While the average adult’s resting heart rate should range between 60 and 100 bpm, anything over 90 bpm is considered high. Generally speaking, lower heart rates are considered better as it means that the heart muscle doesn’t have to work as hard to keep a strong, steady rhythm.
Research has shown that a higher resting heart rate is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
If you’re worried about resting heart rate being consistently too high or too low, and you’re not sure why, it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor about what may be causing it.
What Is Normal Blood Pressure
For years we have been told that a normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 however, more and more doctors have now lowered these numbers to 115/75. Blood pressure is different for everyone as many factors can have an effect on the numbers.
Our blood pressure refers to the amount of force behind the blood as it hits the arterial walls. As the heart pumps the blood, an ideal pressure sees the blood push against the walls that are flexible enough to expand and retract easily. Over time, our age, diet, and physical activity play a role on the elasticity of our blood vessels. With a loss of flexibility due to hardening of the walls, the heart needs to work harder to push the blood.
These factors determine the blood pressure numbers. The systolic number is the top number, and it indicates the pressure as the heart beats or pushes the blood throughout the body. The diastolic number is the bottom number, and refers to the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. During this time, the heart receives oxygen as it fills with blood.
What Your Resting Heart Rate Says About You
If you want to know more about your cardiovascular health, weve got one big question for you: Do you know what your resting heart rate is?
Your resting heart rate can tell you a lot about your cardiovascular health and while some of what it says may seem scary at first, dont worry! There are ways to improve your cardiovascular health. At Tri-City Medical Center, we see patients with high resting heart rates lower theirs to healthier levels all the time.
Heres a little background on just what your heart might be trying to tell you.
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What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure In Women
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the inside lining of the arteries. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when that force increases and stays higher than normal for a period. This condition can damage the blood vessels, heart, brain, and other organs. About
What To Expect At The Doctors
Your doctor may use a variety of diagnostic tools to help diagnose your condition, including:
- Electrocardiogram. Also referred to as an ECG or EKG, this diagnostic tool uses small electrodes to record the electrical activity of your heart. Your doctor can use the information collected to determine if heart abnormalities are contributing to your condition.
- Imaging tests. Imaging can be used to assess if there are any structural abnormalities in your heart that may be contributing to your condition. Possible imaging tests can include echocardiogram, CT scan, and MRI scan.
- Laboratory tests. Your doctor may order blood tests to determine if your condition is caused by something such as an electrolyte imbalance or thyroid disease.
Once a diagnosis is made, your doctor will work with you to develop a plan to treat and manage your condition.
Depending on the findings from the diagnostic tests, your doctor may refer you to a cardiologist. A cardiologist specializes in treating and preventing diseases of the heart and circulatory system.
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Aging Changes In Vital Signs
Vital signs include body temperature, heart rate , breathing rate, and blood pressure. As you age, your vital signs may change, depending on how healthy you are. Some medical problems can cause changes in one or more vital signs.
Checking your vital signs helps your health care provider monitor your health and any medical problems you may have.
BODY TEMPERATURE
Normal body temperature does not change much with aging. But as you get older, it becomes harder for your body to control its temperature. A decrease in the amount of fat below the skin makes it harder to stay warm. You may need to wear layers of clothing to feel warm.
Aging decreases your ability to sweat. You may have difficulty telling when you are becoming overheated. This puts you at high risk of overheating . You can also be at risk for dangerous drops in body temperature.
Fever is an important sign of illness in older people. It is often the only symptom for several days of an illness. See your provider if you have a fever that is not explained by a known illness.
A fever is also a sign of infection. When an older person has an infection, their body may not be able to produce a higher temperature. For this reason, it is important to check other vital signs, as well as any symptoms and signs of infection.
HEART RATE AND BREATHING RATE
Breathing rate usually does not change with age. But lung function decreases slightly each year as you age. Healthy older people can usually breathe without effort.
BLOOD PRESSURE
Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is known as the silent killer because it typically has no symptoms. In fact, most people dont even realize they have hypertension until their blood pressure is monitored.
Symptoms dont develop until the numbers get very high and organs get damaged, often irreversibly, says Dr. Desai.
If you have severe hypertension, you might notice the below symptoms, some of which were reported by patients in a study in the British Journal of General PracticeGoodhart A. Hypertension from the patients perspective. British Journal of General Practice. 2016 66:570. :
- Headaches
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How Do I Determine Heart Rate
Take your pulse on the inside of your wrist on the thumb side or on the side of your neck next to your larynx .
Why Is Heart Rate Information Useful
If you better understand your optimal heart rate when running, this information will allow you to safely achieve your best fitness goals and performance levels.
When your heart rate is too high while running, it means your body is straining too much and this could be dangerous, especially if you are not fit in the first place or if you have other health issues.
When your heart rate is too low while running, it means you can exercise or push yourself harder if you wish and for better performance results.
Another important piece of information is that if you are new to running you should aim for a target zone at the lower end of the scale that is closer to 50% and then build up from there until you can exercise comfortably at 85% of your maximum heart rate. All this ties in with how to pace yourself when running.
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What Can Resting Heart Rate Readings Indicate
Resting heart rate is an indicator of fitness and general health. They are:
- In adults, a lower heart rate is correlated with a higher degree of fitness and a lower incidence of cardiac events, such as heart attacks.
- Highly trained athletes can have an RHR as low as 40. This may be because the lower rate translates to a heart muscle that is stronger and can pump blood more efficiently. Another explanation is that with vigorous exercise, there is the release of nitrous oxide in the hearts blood vessels, which increases the blood supply to the heart.
- However, a consistently higher heart rate has been associated with cardiovascular issues and premature death.
- A 2013 research that studied 3000 men for 16 years found that men with RHR greater than 90 were associated with triple the risk of death when compared to men with RHR below 80.
- An observational study conducted in Norway that looked at 20,000 participants found similar results, even when controlled for factors, such as body mass index and life.
Factors That Affect Resting Heart Rate
When measuring your RHR, keep in mind that there are a number of things that can affect your reading, including:
- Age: RHR can decrease with age, according to some studies.
- Gender: On average, women’s RHR tends to be two to seven beats per minute higher than men’s.
- Air temperature: RHR can increase during hot weather, but usually not more than 10 bpm.
- Emotions: Strong feelings of stress, anxiety, or even happiness can raise your RHR.
- Body position: RHR can be 3 bpm higher when sitting versus lying down. Similarly, RHR tends to increase a bit upon standing.
- Medication: Prescription drugs like antidepressants and beta blockers can cause your RHR to be higher or lower than it would if you weren’t taking the medication.
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Dangers Of High Blood Pressure
Dangers of untreated high blood pressure include stroke, heart attack, heart failure, vision loss, kidney failure, vascular dementia and sexual dysfunction, says Dr. Desai. Its one of the top risk factors for developing atrial fibrillation, which is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide and can lead to stroke, heart failure and reduced quality of life.
What Is A Normal Heart Rate For A Woman In Her 50s
For resting heart rate, normal is defined as 60 to 100 beats per minute, but trained athletes can have resting heart rates as low as 35 to 40, which is normal for them. The simple calculation for maximal peak heart rate is 220 age for men, and 226 age for women. That would put your peak heart rate at 176.
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Heart Rate Predicts Women’s Heart Risk
Study Shows Resting Heart Rate May Predict Heart Attacks in Postmenopausal Women
Feb. 3, 2009 — A woman’s resting pulse rate is a good predictor of her heart attack risk regardless of other risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, researchers say.
A team of scientists analyzed records of 129,135 postmenopausal women who had no history of heart problems. Their pulse rates were measured at the start of the study. The researchers found that during almost eight years of follow-up, women with the highest heart rates — at or above 76 beats per minute — were much more likely to suffer a heart attack than the women with the lowest resting pulse rates, 62 beats per minute or less.
This association held true regardless of factors such as physical activity levels and did not differ between races or women with or without diabetes, high blood pressure, or cholesterol abnormalities, according to the study authors, led by Judith Hsia, MD, a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine and senior director of clinical research for the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
The data for the study came from the Women’s Health Initiative. Women with a history of heart attack, stroke, or similar serious problems were excluded. Resting heart rate was obtained by trained observers after the women sat “quietly” for five minutes.
The study appears in the Feb. 4 issue of BMJ.
Women May Have A Higher Resting Heart Rate Than Men
Research has found that women up to 55 years old have a higher resting heart rate when compared with men. According to the American College of Cardiology, this may have something to do with the difference in sex hormones, especially testoserone, which is higher in men.
Parwani says some data has shown that sex hormones, body size, and heart size can have an effect on the differences in heart rate between men and women. But there are many factors that may influence someone’s heart rate, including:
- Lack of sleep
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How Is Bradycardia Treated
How bradycardia is treated depends on what is causing it. Treatment also depends on the symptoms. If bradycardia doesn’t cause symptoms, it may not be treated. You and your doctor can decide what treatment is right for you.
- If damage to the heart’s electrical system causes your heart to beat too slowly, you will probably need to have a pacemaker. A pacemaker is an implanted device that helps correct the slow heart rate.
- If another medical problem, such as hypothyroidism or an electrolyte imbalance, is causing a slow heart rate, treating that problem may cure the bradycardia.
- If a medicine is causing your heart to beat too slowly, your doctor may adjust the dose or prescribe a different medicine.
The goal of treatment is to raise your heart rate and relieve symptoms. For certain types of bradycardia, treatment may help prevent serious problems. These problems include fainting, injuries from fainting, and even death.
Is Bradycardia Dangerous
For most young people, highly trained athletes, and people who exercise regularly, a below-60 heart rate is normal and healthy. It is very possible to have a slow heart rate and experience no symptoms.
However, if you have symptoms but ignore them, it can sometimes cause more serious problems.
Consult your doctor if you are experiencing some of these symptoms and you have an associated slow heart rate:
- Lack of energy.
- Confusion/memory problems.
- Heart palpitations or flutters.
If your heart rate drops into the 30s, you might not get enough oxygen to your brain, making fainting, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath possible. Blood can also pool in your heart chambers, causing congestive heart failure.
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Your Thyroid Is Under
Your thyroidthe butterfly-shaped organ in your neckproduces hormones that help your body function correctly. If it’s not making enough, it means you have hypothyroidism, which could cause your heart rate to be low, says Taub.
On the other hand, if it’s overperforming and pumping out extra hormones, you have hyperthyroidism, which can raise your heart rate. Your doctor can test your thyroid function with a blood test.
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Maximum Heart Rate For People Older Than 50
The formula for maximum heart rate works well for people under 40 but for older people it may overestimate their maximum heart rate, Bauman said. For older people, a much better formula for the optimal heart rate is:
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- You can either manually compute your heart rate during exercise or use heart rate displays that wrap around the chest, or are consisted of in sports watches.
- Nevertheless, thats not to say that working out without getting the heart rate up to the target zone has no advantage, Bauman said.
So many individuals just arent doing any workout that I worry less about them reaching their target heart rate and more about them getting out and moving their body, Bauman said.
Reducing a fast heart rate.
Pulse rates can spike due to anxiety, stress, dehydration and overexertion. Taking a seat and taking sluggish, deep breaths can normally decrease your heart rate. Working out and getting trimmer will usually reduce heart rate, too.
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Normal Resting Heart Rate
The heart rate measures how many times the heart beats in 60 seconds.
It is important to identify whether your heart rate sits within the normal range. If disease or injury weakens the heart, the organs will not receive enough blood to function normally.
The United States National Institutes of Health have published a list of normal resting heart rates.
The heart rate gets progressively slower as a person moves through childhood toward adolescence.
The normal resting heart rate for adults over the age of 10 years, including older adults, is between 60 and 100 beats per minute .
Highly trained athletes may have a resting heart rate below 60 bpm, sometimes reaching 40 bpm.
The following is a table of normal resting heart rates at different ages according to the NIH:
| Age | |
| Over 10 years | 60 to 100 |
The resting heart rate can vary within this normal range. It will increase in response to a variety of changes, including exercise, body temperature, emotional triggers, and body position, such as for a short while after standing up quickly.
The Gulati Formula For Maximum Heart Rate In Women
Gulati and her colleagues wanted to find an accurate peak heart rate for women that could be used to predict their future health.
The researchers also wanted to ensure that women recovering from heart problems were given the right exercise intensity goals while recuperating .
Gulati’s team came up with a new formula to calculate maximum heart rate for women.
Gulati’s formula: 206 minus = MHR
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