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A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Generally, a lower heart rate at rest implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. For example, a well-trained athlete might have a normal resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute. To measure your heart rate, simply check your pulse.
Bradycardia (brad-e-KAHR-dee-uh) is a slow heart rate. The hearts of adults at rest usually beat between 60 and 100 times a minute. If you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute. Bradycardia can be a serious problem if the heart rate is very slow and the heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body.
Causes. Tachycardia is an increased heart rate for any reason. If a fast heart rate is caused by exercise or stress, it's called sinus tachycardia. Sinus tachycardia is a symptom, not a condition. Most heart conditions can lead to different forms of tachycardia. Irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias, are one cause.
This blood pressure chart can help you figure out if your blood pressure is at a healthy level. It also can help you understand if you need to take some steps to improve your numbers. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A blood pressure reading has two numbers. Top number, called systolic pressure.
Generally, a pulse pressure greater than 40 mm Hg is unhealthy. Checking your pulse pressure may help your care team predict your risk of heart and blood vessel events, such as heart attacks and strokes. A pulse pressure greater than 60 is a risk factor for heart disease, especially for older adults. Stiffness of the body's largest arteries is ...
A heart arrhythmia (uh-RITH-me-uh) is an irregular heartbeat. A heart arrhythmia occurs when the electrical signals that tell the heart to beat don't work properly. The heart may beat too fast or too slow. Or the pattern of the heartbeat may be inconsistent. A heart arrhythmia may feel like a fluttering, pounding or racing heartbeat.
Diagnosis. To diagnose bradycardia, a health care provider will usually perform a physical exam and listen to your heart with a stethoscope. He or she may ask you questions about your symptoms and medical history. Your health care provider may recommend tests to check your heart rate and see if you have a heart problem that can cause bradycardia.
Pregnancy makes the heart and blood vessels work harder. During pregnancy, blood volume increases by 30% to 50% to nourish the growing baby. The heart also pumps more blood each minute, and the heart rate increases. Labor and delivery add to the heart's workload too. During labor, there are sudden changes in blood flow and blood pressure ...
Slowing a fast heart rate. A fast heart rate may correct itself. But sometimes medicine or other treatments are needed to slow down the heartbeat. Ways to slow a fast heart rate include: Vagal maneuvers. Simple but specific actions such as coughing, bearing down as if passing stool or putting an ice pack on the face can help slow down the heart ...
In a healthy heart, this signaling process usually goes smoothly. The resting heart rate is typically 60 to 100 beats a minute. But in atrial fibrillation, the signals in the upper chambers of the heart are chaotic. As a result, the upper chambers tremble or shake. The AV node is flooded with signals trying to get through to the lower heart ...