What Are Common Tests/treatments For A Fast Heart Rate
Common tests and treatments for a fast heart rate include blood pressure measurements, EKGs, and ultrasounds of the heart. A doctor may check to see if your elevated heart rate occurs only with a change in position . If so, there could be an imbalance of heart rate and blood pressure control in the body.
Treatment for a fast heart rate will vary greatly based on its cause.
If you are concerned about an elevated heart rate or have additional questions on the topic, I encourage you to schedule an appointment today.
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Typical Resting Heart Rates
For most adults, a normal resting heart rate is considered to be between 60 to 100 bpm, though this range can vary and depends on multiple factors. Adult males tend to have lower heart rates.
A heart rate outside of this range may still be considered healthy in certain situations. For example, athletes and physically fit individuals may have resting heart rates as low as 30 bpm. Your doctor can help you assess whether your resting heart rate is healthy for you.
Resting heart rate decreases with age. For example, one large study found that the upper limit of the average resting heart rate is 110 bpm for adults 18 to 45 years old, 100 bpm for those between 45 and 60 years old, and 95 bpm for those older than 60. These are the average resting heart rates for healthy adults, as reported by the same study:
| Age |
|---|
| 63-85 bpm |
Exercise And Your Pulse
If you check your pulse during or immediately after exercise, it may give an indication of your fitness level. A heart rate monitor is also useful for recording your heart rate when resting and during exercise.
Aerobic activities such as walking, running and swimming are good types of exercise because they increase your heart and breathing rates.
If you haven’t exercised before, or haven’t for some time, see our Live Well section to read about the benefits of exercise and how much exercise you should be doing.
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How To Lower Resting Heart Rate
What To Do When Your Running Heart Rate Gets Too High
Youre out for a run and its going great. Youre on mile four of a five-mile tempo run, and youre in that sweet spot where your perfect pace feels comfortably hard. But soon, your heart rate begins to climb. Within a few minutes, comfortably hard feels uncomfortable.
If youre not paying attention, the feeling of dizziness, or feeling close to hyperventilating, may creep up on you. That means your heart rate has been too high for too long and you need to get it down to be able to continue running. Heres how to lower your heart rate while running, and what to do when you find yourself in a scary situation on the run.
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Lowering A Rapid Heart Rate
Heart rates can spike due to nervousness, stress, dehydration and overexertion. Sitting down, taking slow, deep breaths and rehydrating can help lower your heart rate in these instances.
In the long-term, maintaining a regular exercise schedule can help to lower and then maintain your resting heart rate over time. Smoking cigarettes raises the heart rate, in part due to nicotine’s effects on the circulatory systems blood vessels, so quitting smoking can also help lower one’s heart rate to a healthy range, according to Harvard Health.
To lower your heart rate in a healthy way after exercise, the AHA and Mayo Clinic recommend that you “cool down” by continuing to move for about 5 to 10 minutes, but at a slower pace and reduced intensity compared with the rest of your workout. For instance, Mayo suggests the following cool down activities:
- To cool down after a brisk walk, walk slowly for five to 10 minutes.
- To cool down after a run, walk briskly for five to 10 minutes.
- To cool down after swimming, swim laps leisurely for five to 10 minutes.
Cooling down after a workout helps gradually bring your heart rate down to pre-exercise levels, thus helping you avoid potential feelings of dizziness or nausea that can occur when the heart rate falls too rapidly. It’s unclear whether including a cool down in your workout helps to prevent muscle stiffness or soreness after exercise, but more research is needed in this area, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Further Testing For Heart Palpitations
In most cases, we see patients in the emergency department whose palpitations have either gone away or arent critical by the time they arrive. Like a car problem that clears up when you visit the mechanic, this can be frustrating for patients.
We reassure them that just because we dont see an abnormal heart rhythm now doesnt mean that they didnt have one before. We check for any signs of damage or injury, and we may monitor patients for a few hours at the emergency department to see if they have another episode of palpitions, but there may not be enough time to capture an abnormal heart rhythm that comes and goes.
We often refer patients who have had heart palpitations to a cardiologist in the MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. For example, we might diagnose an abnormal heart rhythm in the emergency department, but its not something that needs emergency treatment. Or we might not see evidence of an abnormal heart rhythm, but we think the patient could benefit from additional monitoring to rule out possible heart problems.
A normal heartbeat is easy to take for granted. So when we feel heart palpitations, it can be very scary. But with quick medical attention and advanced monitoring, your heart can beat steadily for a long time to come.
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What Causes Heart Palpitations
Older adults are more likely to have medical conditions that can increase their likelihood of having palpitations. But heart palpitations can show up in people of any age.
Some of the heart conditions that can cause heart palpitations include:
- Cardiac arrhythmia , including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter
- Supraventricular tachycardia
Other issues that can cause heart palpitations include:
- Being dehydrated
- Certain medications, including decongestants or inhalers for asthma
- Hormonal fluctuations in women who are menstruating, pregnant or about to enter menopause
- Problems with electrolytes, including low potassium levels
- Strong feelings of anxiety, fear or stress, including panic attacks
Overactive thyroid, also known as hyperthyroidism, can throw off the hearts normal rhythm, causing palpitations. This type of thyroid disorder is treatable with medications to slow the heart rate and treat the overactive thyroid.
Atria Ventricles And The Electrical Circuitry Of The Heart
The human heart consists of four chambers : the atria, which are the two upper chambers, and the ventricles, which are the two lower chambers.
The heart has a natural pacemaker, called the sinoatrial node, in the right atrium. This produces electrical impulses. Each one triggers an individual heartbeat.
As the electrical impulses leave the sinoatrial node, they cross the atria, making the atrial muscles contract. This contraction pushes blood into the ventricles.
The electrical impulses continue to the atrioventricular node, which is a cluster of cells. The AV node slows down the electrical signals, then sends them on to the ventricles.
In doing so, it allows time for the ventricles to fill with blood. When the ventricular muscles receive the electrical signals, they contract, pumping blood either to the lungs or to the rest of the body.
A problem with the electrical signals can result in a faster-than-normal heartbeat. This is tachycardia.
Tachycardia usually stems from a disruption in the normal electrical impulses that control the hearts pumping action, or the rate at which the heart pumps.
Depending on the type and cause of tachycardia, the following
- calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem or verapamil
- beta-blockers, such as propranolol or metoprolol
- blood thinners, such as warfarin or apixaban
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What Is A Dangerous Heart Rate What Causes High Pulse Rate
Although age and activity level can affect your heart rate, there are some normal parameters.
As an explanation, your resting heart rate is when your heart pumps the minimum amount of blood that your body needs because it is at rest.
A persons heart rate can become dangerous if it is too high or too low. However, many factors can affect when a heart rate is dangerous.
The heart rate changes throughout the day to adapt to the demands of the body. It is highest during times of intense activity and lowest when a person relaxes or sleeps.
The heart rate also changes during pregnancy, fever, and times of anxiety.
Identifying a persons usual heart rate pattern can help her understand what a dangerous heart rate is for her personally.
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About Heart And Vascular Institute
The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute has long been a leader in cardiovascular care, with a rich history in clinical research and innovation. As one of the first heart transplant centers in the country and as the developer of one of the first heart-assist devices, UPMC has contributed to advancing the field of cardiovascular medicine.
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How To Check Your Heart Rate
You can check your heart rate by counting your pulse. A pulse can be felt at various sites on the body like over the sides of the neck, the wrist, and the top of the foot. To check your pulse on the wrist with the help of your middle finger and index finger, you need to:
- Keep your middle finger and your index finger over the inner part of the wrist and keep pressing gently until you can feel your pulse. The pulse is felt in your radial artery.
- After you have located your pulse, look at the watch, and start counting the beats for 30 seconds. Doubling this count will give you your heart rate. You can even count the beats for 10 seconds and multiply the number by six to get your heart rate.
If you find the rhythm of your heartbeat slightly irregular, you will have to count the beats completely until 60 seconds. You will have to visit your doctor if you keep getting a fast and irregular heart rate consistently.
What You Can Do For Your Heart Rate
You should always aim to take good care of your heart. This includes exercising regularly, eating heart-healthy foods, minimizing alcohol, and maintaining a moderate weight.
Additionally, you should visit your doctor regularly for physicals. Not only is it good practice, but it can also help with the early detection of high cholesterol or blood pressure abnormalities.
If you already have heart disease, you should carefully monitor your condition and stick to your treatment plan. Take all medications as instructed by your doctor. Be sure to promptly report any new or worsening symptoms.
Other heart health tips include:
- Find ways to reduce stress. Examples include things like yoga or meditation.
- Limit your caffeine intake when possible. Using too much caffeine can increase heart rate.
- Limit intake of energy drinks.
- Moderate your intake of alcohol. Women should only have one drink or less per day while men should have two or fewer drinks per day.
- Quit smoking. Smoking increases your heart rate, and quitting can help bring it back down.
- Avoid cannabis. Cannabis use
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Normal Heart Rate Ranges
In adults, the normal heart rate is between 60-100 beats per minute . A slower heart rate is called bradycardia, and a faster heart rate is called tachycardia.
| Heart Rate | |
| > 100 bpm | Tachycardia |
In certain circumstances, a heart rate higher or lower than what’s considered normal is nothing to worry about. It all depends on what you’re doing.
For example, some people may have a heart rate in the 50s while sleeping, which is completely normal. On the other hand, if you are exercising, you can expect your heart rate to go above 100 bpm.
What Makes A Heart Rate Soar
Typically, a normal resting heart rate falls between 60 and 100 beats a minute, according to the Mayo Clinic. An abnormally fast resting heart rate called tachycardia happens when the upper or lower chambers of the heart beat more than 100 times a minute, explains Shoshana Ungerleider, MD, an internist who practices hospital medicine at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
It is normal for your heart rate to rise during exercise or as a physiological response to stress, trauma or illness, says Dr. Ungerleider. This is called sinus tachycardia. Not all types of tachycardia are benign, however. According to the Mayo Clinic, other types that come with health consequences include:
- Atrial fibrillation a fast heart rate caused bydisordered, irregular electrical impulses in the hearts upper chambers, knownas the atria.
- Atrial flutter when the atria of the heart beat rapidlybut at a steady rate, resulting in weak atrial contractions.
- Supraventricular tachycardia an abnormally rapid heartbeat originatingsomewhere above the hearts ventricles, which are the lower chambers.
- Ventricular tachycardia a fast heart rate originating withabnormal electrical signals in the ventricles.
- Ventricular fibrillation when fast, disordered electricalimpulses cause the ventricles to quiver inefficiently instead of pumping bloodthat the body needs.
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What You Can Do
You should always aim to take good care of your heart. This includes doing things like exercising regularly, eating a heart-healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Additionally, you should plan to visit your doctor regularly for physicals. Not only is it good practice, but it can also help with early detection of things like high cholesterol or blood pressure abnormalities.
If you already have heart disease, you should carefully monitor your condition and stick to your treatment plan. Take all medications as instructed by your doctor. Be sure to promptly report any new or worsening symptoms.
Some additional preventative health tips to help keep your heart healthy and happy include:
- Find ways to reduce stress. Examples of ways to do this can include things like yoga or meditation.
- Limit your caffeine intake. Using too much caffeine can lead to increases in heart rate.
- Moderate your drinking. Women and men over 65 should only have one drink per day. Men under 65 should only have two drinks per day.
- Quit smoking. Smoking increases your heart rate and quitting can help bring it back down.
- Be aware of medication side effects. Some medications can affect your heart rate. Always be aware of possible side effects before taking a medication.
Your heart is a muscular organ that works to pump oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the tissues of your body. The muscles of your heart contract and relax to push blood through your blood vessels.
Your Resting Heart Rate
Also known as your pulse, this is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re at rest. For adults, the normal range is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
A resting heart rate varies from person to person. It depends on things like:
- Age
- Body size
Even emotions, temperature, and humidity outside can affect your pulse rate.
A lower resting heart rate is usually better when it comes to your health. Itâs typically a sign your heart is working well. When it’s lower, your heart pumps more blood with each contraction and easily keeps a regular beat.
On the flip side, a high resting heart rate may mean your heart works extra hard to pump blood. If your pulse is consistently more than 100 beats per minute at rest, itâs a good idea to see your doctor. Over time, a high resting heart rate may affect how your heart works. A high rate can also raise your chances of cardiovascular disease.
A slower than normal pulse is common in people who are physically fit. If your resting heart rate is regularly below 60 beats per minute but youâre not active, see your doctor, especially if you feel dizzy or short of breath.
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High Sleeping Heart Rate
With the possible exception of REM sleep, your heart rate should typically be lower during sleep than when you are awake. High heart rates are connected with taking longer to fall asleep and experiencing lower sleep quality, as well as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Stress and anxiety: Anxiety leads to an increased heart rate and higher blood pressure . Prolonged stress and anxiety can increase heart rate during sleep. Poor sleep, in turn, can negatively impact heart rate and blood pressure during the day.
- Sleep behaviors: Poor sleep hygiene can also contribute to a higher sleeping heart rate. One study found that shifting bedtime just 30 minutes later can raise resting heart rate during sleep, with effects that last into the following day. Waking up in the middle of the night can also increase your sleeping heart rate, as can nightmares.
- Pregnancy: As pregnancy progresses, heart rate may climb as it adapts to supply vital oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus. Regular exercise may help lower resting heart rate and boost heart health during pregnancy.
- Other factors: Being sick with a fever can increase your heart rate. Certain medications may also increase heart rate. Caffeine and exercise can also trigger an increase in heart rate.