What Is A Dangerous Heart Rate
Generally, a healthy heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minuteso anything above or below those numbers could be a problem. On either end of the spectrum, you might be feeling dizzy, faint, or lightheaded, or pass out, Dr. Osborne says. If its above 100 beats per minute, thats when you might have chest pain and shortness of breath.
Either way, though, high or low, head to the doctor. An irregular heartbeat at these levels could mean thyroid problems, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, or any number of other conditions.
What Your Heart Rate Says About Your Cardiovascular Health
Your heart is responsible for pumping blood and oxygen throughout your body and if youre having heart troubles, the rest of your body will be impacted too.
A higher resting heart rate can be dangerous because it taxes the heart, making it work harder. This is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and death, just like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Resting heart rates that near or exceed 100 should be brought to the attention of your doctor.
What’s Normal And Not
The good news: While uncomfortable at first, heart palpitations are mostly benign. As far as frequency goes, heart flutters can occur frequently or infrequently. Generally, the frequency of heart palpitations does not dictate if the palpitations are serious or benign. The symptoms that accompany the palpitations usually signal whether itfs a medical emergency or not, he adds.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
Palpitations can be a sign of a heart problem. This is more likely in men or people with heart disease. If your palpitations are frequent, worsening, or lasting more than five minutes, speak with your doctor about your symptoms.
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What Is Considered A Fast Heart Rate
The definition of a fast heart rate differs depending on the age of the person experiencing it. Typically, it is defined as have a resting heart rate faster than 100 beats per minute for adults.
A fast heart rate is one that is unexpected for a certain level of physical activity. Usually, most adults resting heart rate usually lies in the range of 60-80 beats per minute, with some heart rates approaching 100 beats per minute.
Fast Heart Rate And Age
Concern regarding a fast heart rate is going to differ based on the patients age and health. As a general rule, the younger you are, the lower your resting heart rate. As you get older, your resting heart rate increases. Interestingly, however, there are some patients who experience faster and slower heart rates at the same time. This phenomenon can be seen across many age groups. Thus, cause for concern is not 100% definable by age.
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Irregular Heart Rate In Children: Types Symptoms And Risks
Our heartbeat has a rhythm to it. This rhythm keeps the heart healthy and functioning right. Sometimes, you may notice that a childs heartbeat is fast when they are sleeping, or that the rhythm may be irregular with the heartbeat being too fast or slow. Abnormal heart rate is not uncommon in children, but it can be a serious condition at times.
In this post, MomJunction tells you about heart rate in children, when it is normal and when abnormal, and how to deal with it.
What Do Heart Palpitations Feel Like
Most often, heart palpitations are described as feeling like the heart is racing or pounding, similar to the way it may feel after running a sprint. Additional feelings you may experience with heart palpitations include:
- Heart is beating too quickly
- Heart is beating too strongly
- Heart is being irregularly
- Heart feels like it is flip-flopping in the chest
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Is My Heart Rate Normal
According to the American Heart Association, a normal resting heart rate for most adults is somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute . For athletes and those who are generally more active, that heart rate may be as low as 40 bpm. When youre sick, that bpm is likely a bit higher.
Kids usually have a higher heart rate than adults. The National Institutes of Health outlined the following average resting heart rates for children:
- Newborn to 1 month: 70-190 bpm
- 1 to 11 months: 80-160 bpm
- 1 to 2 years: 80-130 bpm
- 3 to 4 years: 80-120 bpm
- 5 to 6 years: 75-115 bpm
- 7 to 9 years: 70-110 bpm
- 10 years and older: 60-100 bpm
To check your heart rate, start by finding your pulse on the inside of your wrist. Then use the tips of your index and middle finger to press lightly over the artery. Count your pulse for 30 seconds, then double that number to find your bpm. Other health monitoring tools, like wearable fitness trackers or a stethoscope, can also help here.
If your heart rate is consistently above or below these target ranges, and are show the following symptoms, you should see a doctor:
- Shortness of breath
When I See A Patient With A Low Heart Rate I Ask Myself The Following
Is the low heart rate a physiologic finding or a pathologic finding? An example of a physiologic low heart rate would be an athlete with a low resting heart rate from being trained, which is absolutely fine. An example of a pathologic heart rate would be a disorder of the internal pacemaker system of the heart such as heart block that would often need a pacemaker inserted as treatment.
Is the low heart rate the likely cause of symptoms? Symptoms of a low heart rate may include dizziness and fatigue. In order to be attributed to a low heart rate the symptoms should occur at the same time the heart rate is low.
Are there any reversible causes for the low heart rate? Medicines such as beta-blockers or disorders such as hypothyroidism may lead to low heart rate and if the heart rate is dangerously low and causing symptoms as a result of this, stopping the medication or treating the underlying conditions will likely reverse the symptoms.
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What Do My Heart Rate Numbers Mean
Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats each minute when youre not active. The normal range is between 50 and 100 beats per minute. If your resting heart rate is above 100, its called tachycardia below 60, and its called bradycardia. Increasingly, experts pin an ideal resting heart rate at between 50 to 70 beats per minute.
If you want to find out your resting heart rate, pick a time when youre not active, find your pulse, count how many times it beats in 30 seconds, and then double that number. You may want to check it several times throughout the day, or over a week, to average out the number and to look for any irregularities.
Resting heart rates can change from person to person and throughout the day, influenced by everything from your mood to your environment. It rises when youre excited or anxious, and sometimes in response to smoking cigarettes or drinking coffee. More athletic people tend to have lower heart rates.
What Are Common Heart Medications
If you need heart medication, there are hundreds of options for your cardiologist to choose from. These are the most common medication categories .
- Blood thinners: Stop blood from clotting
- Antiplatelet agents : Stop blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors: Expand blood vessels and help blood flow more easily and reduce blood pressure
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers : Stop blood pressure from rising
- Angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitors : Break down natural substances that can block arteries
- Beta blockers: Make the heart beat slower and stronger
- Calcium channel blockers: Stop calcium from entering the heart and blood vessels and reduce blood pressure
- Cholesterol medications: Lowers high cholesterol levels
- Digitalis: Make heart contractions stronger
- Diuretics: Remove excess fluid from the body
- Vasodilators: Relax blood vessels and brings more blood and oxygen to the heart and can reduce blood pressure as well
Incorporate healthy lifestyle changes to enhance the efficacy of heart medications. A poor diet and lack of physical activity can put you at a higher risk of heart disease.
While many heart problems dont have clear warning signs, there is often treatment available. If you notice one of these unusual signs there might be a problem with your ticker, dont delay. See your doctor, and find out what you can do to treat it.
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How Do You Know Your Heart Rate
Your heart rate is a measure of how fast your heart beats and is also an important indicator of good health. Your doctor will always make it a point to measure your heart rate whenever you visit him for your routine health checkup or any health-related problem.
While the heart rate is routinely examined by your doctor, you can also measure your heart rate. With the help of your middle finger and index finger, you have to first try to feel and locate your pulse at any of the following places
- Wrist
- The inner side of your elbow
- The base of the toe
- The side of your neck
The wrist is the most commonly used and convenient place to check your heart rate. Once you locate the pulse on your wrist, you have to gently press on it for 60 seconds and count the beats. This is how you will know your heart rate, which will be in beats per minute.
When Should I Be Worried About Heart Palpitations
Though they may be scary at the time, heart palpitations are rarely something to be concerned about. Dr. Gulati says that some people are just more aware of their heartbeats than others and are more likely to notice skipped beats or other palpitations. But she and Dr. Osborne both agree that its time to seek medical attention when those palpitations come along with fainting, dizziness, pain, or shortness of breath.
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A Low Heart Rate Can Lead To Fainting And Falls If Youre Not A Highly Trained Athlete But The Condition Is Often Treatable
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Health risks can develop from a low heart ratea condition called bradycardia.
A low heart rate may be a sign of an efficiently working heart. Or, if the rate becomes too low, it could be a sign of health complications down the road.
A normal or healthy resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats a minute. A heart rate near the lower end of that range is considered a good sign. Your heart isnt working too hard to pump blood effectively throughout the body. Its one indication of cardiovascular fitness. A very rapid heart rate, on the other hand, raises your risk of heart failure, blood clots, and other problems.
If youre not training for a marathon or swimming dozens of laps every day, you should talk with your doctor if you notice a low heart rate.
Myth: If My Pulse Is Fast It Always Means I’m Stressed Out
Stress is just one thing that can raise your pulse. Your heart rate may also speed up when you exercise, get excited, or feel anxious or sad.
When you stand up, your pulse may go up for 15 to 20 seconds before it goes back to normal. Even the weather, like high temperatures or humidity, can raise it.
If you take thyroid medication, a fast pulse may be a sign you’re taking too much. Talk to your doctor.
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Is A Heart Rate Of 45 Dangerous
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Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:
- Do you have a history of problems with your heart rate or rhythm? If so:
- Did you see a doctor?
- What was the diagnosis?
- What tests were done?
- How was it treated?
If you have kept a record of your heart rate or rhythm changes, be sure to discuss this with your doctor.
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When To Worry About Low Heart Rate
Our heartbeat is one of our most essential biomarkers. One of the most significant statements to the significance of this bodily function is its recognition world over as one of the principal medical markers for the presence of life.
However, the importance of your heartbeat extends beyond acting as a notification that you are still alive.
The heartbeat is a rhythmic contraction of the cardiac muscles. These muscles then control the pumping of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood around your body. Consequently, the rate of your heartbeats can be a direct measure of the function and overall health of the organ.
Furthermore, in the multifaceted and interconnected system that is the body, a variance in heart rate levels can be an indicator for a host of conditions, including the adrenaline rush from exercise or fear, hormonal imbalances, psychological issues, or other underlying medical problems.
With heart rate, when you are at rest, less is often always better. Generally, a lower resting heart rate indicates that the organ is performing more efficiently than average. Lower heart rates are usually standard among well-trained athletes and people with high cardiovascular fitness levels.
A lower rate implies that your heart does not have to overexert itself to provide the rest of your body with the minimum required amount of oxygenated blood.
If I Get Skinny Fast Should I Worry About My Heart Rate
ByChristine King | Submitted On September 19, 2009
Have you ever been worried about your heart rate? Do you think that if you get skinny fast that your heart rate might be a problem? It’s always a good idea to know why things happen, so here is some useful information which should put your mind at rest.
If I Get Skinny Fast, Should I Worry About My Heart Rate?
It won’t come as any surprise to you to know that the heart he is the most important muscle in your body. The good thing is that it’s not difficult to exercise or train your heart, and the benefits of doing this can have the biggest impact on your overall level of health.
Your heart rate also indicates how efficient your heart is. Your heart rate is the number of times it beats in a minute as it pumps oxygen and blood around your body. What is the average resting heart rate? It is between 60 and 80 beats per minute.
Lots of things can affect the rate at which your heart beats. The amount of coffee you drink, whether you are hot or cold or whether you are ill.
If you want to improve your overall fitness then you need to work your heart at between 70 and 85% of its maximum rate. The easy way of judging whether you’re in the right zone or not is when you find it difficult to talk and exercise at the same time. When you are doing this you’re using carbohydrates as your main energy source, which is good.
Would you like to make losing weight easier…give your weight loss a boost?
Christine King
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When Heart Rate Or Rhythm Changes Are Minor
Many changes in heart rate or rhythm are minor and do not require medical treatment if you do not have other symptoms or a history of heart disease. Smoking, drinking alcohol or caffeine, or taking other stimulants such as diet pills or cough and cold medicines may cause your heart to beat faster or skip a beat. Your heart rate or rhythm can change when you are under stress or having pain. Your heart may beat faster when you have an illness or a fever. Hard physical exercise usually increases your heart rate, which can sometimes cause changes in your heart rhythm.
Natural health products, such as goldenseal, oleander, motherwort, or ephedra , may cause irregular heartbeats.
It is not uncommon for pregnant women to have minor heart rate or rhythm changes. These changes usually are not a cause for concern for women who do not have a history of heart disease.
Well-trained athletes usually have slow heart rates with occasional pauses in the normal rhythm. Evaluation is usually not needed unless other symptoms are present, such as light-headedness or fainting , or there is a family history of heart problems.