Normal vs. Dangerous Heart Rate: What Every Heart Patient Should Know

The heart rate is how many times the heart beats in one minute. It beats over 1,00,000 times in one day. However, the heart rate can fluctuate. It can get faster when you are playing a physically demanding sport. These are just some of the factors that can increase your heart rate.

Understanding the difference between normal heart rate and dangerous heart rate is for anyone, not just people who have a heart condition. Typically, a resting heart rate is between 60 bpm and 100 bpm, above or below which can be an indicator of a problem.

What is a Normal Heart Rate?

The adult human heart pumps the lowest amount of blood when it is at rest. However, this can vary depending on overall health, age, physical health, and anxiety. Tachycardia is when the resting heart rate is higher than 100 bpm. When the resting heart rate is lower than 60 bpm, the condition is bradycardia.

The best hospital in Gurgaon offers tailor-made plans for each person when their heart rate is above or below normal, thanks to the advanced diagnostic tools.

Atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia are cases where the heart rate is consistently elevated or irregular. This may imply an underlying heart condition. In such cases, the risk of a stroke, heart failure, or cardiac arrest is higher.

The Normal Heart Rate Ranges

As we have said earlier, the heart rate is determined by factors like overall health, anxiety, and age. These are the heart rate ranges that are considered ‘normal’ for adults. Tracking heart rate has become easier with special smartwatches thanks to their built-in heart rate tracker.

• Resting Heart Rate: You already know that the resting heart rate for adults is 60 to 100 beats per minute. But for physically active people and athletes in particular, the heart rate can be lower than 60 bpm which can also be considered normal for them.

• Maximum Heart Rate (MHR): The maximum heart rate is the highest heart rate an individual can get during rigorous physical activity. It is estimated by subtracting your age from 220 (220 minus your age).

• Target Heart Rate Zones: Individuals are often recommended during exercise to aim for a target heart rate, which is generally a percentage range of the maximum heart rate. For moderately intense activities, the target heart rate is 50% to 70% of the maximum heart rate. For the high-intensity exercises, the rate is 70% to 85% of the maximum heart rate.

What is a Dangerous Heart Rate?

In simple words, a dangerous heart rate is a value that is significantly over or above the typical heart rate. There may be other factors such as age and overall health. Consulting a doctor can be a good idea before deciding the next steps. The three situations when the heartbeat is unusually high or low are:

• Tachycardia: As discussed above, this is the situation where the heart rate is consistently above 100 bpm. The conditions that can lead to tachycardia are hyperthyroidism, arrhythmias, or other cardiovascular issues.

• Bradycardia: While a resting heart rate below 60 bpm can be normal for many people if you are suffering from dizziness, fainting, or fatigue, they may be the probable signs and may require the attention of expert medical personnel.

• Arrhythmias: They are irregular or skipped heartbeats, which are normal in some cases but can be dangerous in others, especially for heart patients.

Heart Rate Monitoring: The Basics

A heart rate tracker in smartwatches tracks heart rate with the help of LED lights and sensors. You can set alerts when the heart rate is not normal. To get the best results:

• Choose the Right Device: Go for a device that has good customer reviews. Even better if someone you know recommends the device. This symbol of trust is likelier to narrow down your choices.

• Observe Trends: Keep an eye on the daily trends and not on single readings to get a precise understanding of your heart rate.

Why Heart Patients Must Pay Attention?

Heart patients have a higher risk of facing complications related to abnormal heart rates. An abnormally high heart rate can lead to insufficient blood flow to the body and a very low heart rate may result in a low supply of oxygen to the vital organs. If left untreated, both situations can be life-threatening.

You can make and maintain a record of heart rate patterns and give them to your doctor.

How to Maintain a Healthy Heart Rate?

There are several ways to achieve a healthy heart rate and maintain the same. Some of them are:

• Deep breathing: Taking deep breaths in and out through your nose is a popular yoga technique. Slow breathing decreases the heart rate

• Avoiding Nicotine, Alcohol, and Caffeine for Some Time: This sounds difficult but either of the three can cause dehydration. Caffeine can increase heart rate, so don’t get disheartened when doctors recommend low to moderate consumption. Drinking lots of water is a step towards normal heart rate.

• Lots of Sleep: If your lack of sleep is chronic, your body’s rest and relaxation time (R&R time) gets hampered, and your heart rate increases. The ideal sleep schedule should be 7 to 9 hours daily.

Conclusion

Consistent heart rate monitoring and being proactive about making lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of complications associated with abnormal heart rates. If you see a pattern of abnormalities, a doctor can help you in getting answers and possible solutions.