A good heart rate differs from individual to individual, and it depends upon your age and the kind of physical work you do.
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.
A good heart rate differs from individual to individual, and it depends upon your age and the kind of physical work you do.
Given below is the chart showing normal heart rates by age.
Newborn
100-160
0-5 months
90-150
6-12 months
80-140
1-3 years
80-130
3-5 years
80-120
6-10 years
70-110
11-14 years
60-105
15 years or older
60-100
However, a heart rate that is lower than 60 per minute does not necessarily mean that it is abnormal. If you are an athlete or someone who is engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, you may have a heart rate between 40 and 60 per minute.
What should my heart rate be?
As per the American Heart Association (AHA),
- if you are an adult, your heart rate should be in the range of 60 to 100 beats per minute.
- And if your age is between 6 and 15 years, your heart rate should be anywhere between 70 and 100 per minute.
Is 72 bpm a good heart rate?
Yes, 72 beats per minute is a good heart rate. According to the American Heart Association, your risk of dying from a heart attack is lower if your heart rate is below 80 beats per minute.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, it is healthier to have a heart rate that is at the lower end of the range.
When should I worry about my heart rate?
Before you become worried about your heart rate, it is important to know the things that can increase or decrease your heart rate.
Your heart rate might be increased
- Soon after you consume coffee or smoke
- Whenever you feel scared, anxious, or stressed out
- If the climate is hot and humid
- If you are obese
- If you are on certain medicines like decongestants
- If you indulge in binge drinking frequently
Health conditions that may increase your heart rate and could be improved upon by treatment
- A thyroid disorder like hyperthyroidism
- Low hemoglobin level in the blood (anemia)
Some conditions like supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) may cause a sudden increase in your heart rate at rest. This is a medical emergency and needs immediate medical attention. This condition may lead to sudden death.
Consuming heavy amounts of alcohol frequently can lead to a fast and irregular heart rate (atrial fibrillation). This again is a medical emergency.
A persistent high heart rate can also mean that the heart muscle is weakened, which forces it to pump harder to deliver the same amount of blood.
You may have a lower resting heart rate due to
- Exercising regularly
- Low levels of thyroid hormones in the body (hypothyroidism)
Certain medications like beta-blockers, which are used for treating hypertension and anxiety
You should also be concerned about your heart rate if you notice your heart beating at an irregular rhythm frequently. This can be a serious condition known as arrhythmia for which you should see your doctor right away.
What is considered unhealthy heart rate?
If your heart rate is consistently above 100 bpm and you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness, you should go to the ER
Tachycardia or fast heart rate occurs when your resting heart rate is faster than normal, which is about 60-100 beats per minute.
If your heart rate is consistently above 100 beats per minute and you experience the following symptoms, you should go to the emergency room:
- Chest pain or discomfort that is severe, unexpected, and followed by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or weakness
- Angina-type chest pain (radiating to the left shoulder, back, or left little finger) that lasts longer than 15 minutes and is not relieved by rest and medication (nitroglycerin)
- Shortness of breath that continues even after rest
- Sudden weakness or paralysis in your arms or legs
- Sudden onset of a severe headache
- Dizziness
- Fainting spell with loss of consciousness
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What are the three types and signs of high heart rate?
Atrial or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
SVT is a fast heart rate that originates in the upper chambers of the heart (atria) and disrupts electrical signals coming from the sinoatrial node, which acts as the natural pacemaker of the heart. It causes an irregular, fast heart rate, resulting in incomplete filling of the heart chambers between contractions and compromising blood flow to the rest of the body.
- Signs of SVT include:
- Risk factors of SVT include:
- Age (children are at increased risk)
- Sex (women are at increased risk)
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco use
- Congenital heart disease
- Treatment options for SVT include:
- Carotid sinus massage (involves applying gentle pressure on the neck where the carotid artery splits into two branches)
- Valsalva maneuver (involves holding your nostrils closed while blowing air through your nose)
- Sedation
- Rest
- Limiting or completely avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco
Sinus tachycardia
Sinus tachycardia is a normal increase in heart rate in response to various factors.
Causes of sinus tachycardia include:
- Anxiety
- Fright
- Emotional distress
- Fever
- Vigorous exercise
- Anemia
- Severe bleeding
- High thyroid activity
- Heart muscle damage due to heart attacks
Treatment involves addressing the cause of sinus tachycardia.
Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular tachycardia is a fast heart rate that originates in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles).
- Causes of ventricular tachycardia include:
- Lack of coronary artery blood flow, blocking oxygen to the heart tissue
- Cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle) distorts the structure of the heart
- Side effects of medications such as thyroid hormones
- Illegal drug use such as cocaine and amphetamines
- Sarcoidosis (an inflammatory disease that affects skin or body tissues)
- Symptoms of ventricular tachycardia include:
- Nausea
- Light-headedness
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Cardiac arrest (in extreme cases)
- Treatment options for ventricular tachycardia include:
- Medication
- Surgery
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Electrical defibrillation
