There are many different types of tachycardia. Their classification is based on their cause and the part of the heart they affect. Experiencing tachycardia may be temporary.
For athletes and people that exercise regularly, a heart rate of under 60 beats per minute is normal and even healthy. Borderline or occasional bradycardia may not need treatment. But prolonged bradycardia, or bradycardia that is not treated, can become more serious. If you are already living with heart disease, heart failure, or a history of heart disease and notice a fluctuation in your heart rate, you should go to the doctor as soon as you can, as it could be a sign of a serious complication.
It could be a sign of a serious heart complication, and you should get yourself to the doctor or the emergency room as soon as you can. While there are a wide variety of wearable devices that can help you check your own heart rate, you can also do it manually. The American Heart Association has a simple method :. Tachycardia, which again is when your heart rate is faster than it should be, can be caused by underlying health conditions, such as:.
Taking illegal drugs such as stimulants, like cocaine or methamphetamines or misusing both prescription and non-prescription medicines like diet pills may also cause your heart to beat too fast. Once a diagnosis is made, your doctor will work with you to develop a plan to treat and manage your condition. You should always aim to take good care of your heart. This includes doing things like exercising regularly , eating a variety of heart-healthy foods , minimizing alcohol, and managing your weight.
Additionally, you should 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. Resting heart rate can vary from person to person and can be influenced by a variety of factors. The normal heart rate for children changes as they age. Both tachycardia fast heart rate and bradycardia low heart rate are typically indicators of other health conditions.
While the heart rate increases as a result of physical activity, an overall decrease in target heart rate is possible over time. This means that the heart is working less to get the necessary nutrients and oxygen to different parts of the body, making it more efficient. Cardiovascular training aims to reduce the target heart rate. The ideal target heart rate reduces with age.
It is also worth noting the maximum heart rate. This demonstrates the full capability of the heart, and it is normally reached through high-intensity exercise. The American Heart Association AHA states that the maximum heart rate during exercise should be roughly equal to bpm minus the age of the person.
As the body of each individual will react to exercise differently, the target heart rate is presented as a range known as the target heart rate zone. The following table shows the appropriate target heart rate zone for a range of ages. It is recommended that people exercise regularly to work towards a healthy target heart rate. The AHA recommends the following amounts and levels of exercise per week:.
The speed of the heart is not the only factor to bear in mind when considering its health. The rhythm of the heartbeat is important too. The heart should beat with a steady rhythm, and there should be a regular gap between beats. The muscle has an electrical system that tells it when to beat and push blood around the body. A faulty electrical system can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm.
It is normal for the heart rate to vary throughout the day in response to exercise, anxiety , excitement, and fear. However, a person should not normally be aware of their resting heartbeat. If you feel that your heart is beating out of rhythm, too fast, or too slow, speak to a doctor about your symptoms. An extra beat is called an ectopic beat. Ectopic beats are very common, usually harmless, and do not often need treatment.
People concerned about palpitations or ectopic beats should speak to your doctor who will be able to carry out an electrocardiogram ECG to assess the heart rate and the rhythm.
There are many different types of abnormal heart rhythm. The type depends on where in the heart the abnormal rhythm starts, and whether it causes the heart to beat too fast or too slow. The most common abnormal rhythm is atrial fibrillation. This replaces the normal heartbeat with an erratic pattern. A fast heart rhythm is also known as a tachycardia , and can include:. Slow heart rhythms such as atrioventricular AV heart block , bundle branch block, and tachy-brady syndrome are called bradycardias.
The pulse can be found on the side of the neck, on the inside of the elbow, or at the wrist. For most people, it is easiest to take the pulse at the wrist. If you use the lower neck, be sure not to press too hard, and never press on the pulses on both sides of the lower neck at the same time to prevent blocking blood flow to the brain.
When taking your pulse:. Using the first and second fingertips, press firmly but gently on the arteries until you feel a pulse. Count your pulse for 60 seconds or for 15 seconds and then multiply by four to calculate beats per minute.
If your doctor has ordered you to check your own pulse and you are having difficulty finding it, consult your doctor or nurse for additional instruction. The respiration rate is the number of breaths a person takes per minute.
The rate is usually measured when a person is at rest and simply involves counting the number of breaths for one minute by counting how many times the chest rises. Respiration rates may increase with fever, illness, and other medical conditions.
When checking respiration, it is important to also note whether a person has any difficulty breathing. Normal respiration rates for an adult person at rest range from 12 to 16 breaths per minute. Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls during contraction and relaxation of the heart.
Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries, resulting in the highest blood pressure as the heart contracts. When the heart relaxes, the blood pressure falls. Two numbers are recorded when measuring blood pressure.
The higher number, or systolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart contracts and pumps blood through the body. The lower number, or diastolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart is at rest and is filling with blood. Both the systolic and diastolic pressures are recorded as "mm Hg" millimeters of mercury.
This recording represents how high the mercury column in an old-fashioned manual blood pressure device called a mercury manometer or sphygmomanometer is raised by the pressure of the blood. Today, your doctor's office is more likely to use a simple dial for this measurement. High blood pressure , or hypertension, directly increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. With high blood pressure, the arteries may have an increased resistance against the flow of blood, causing the heart to pump harder to circulate the blood.
Elevated blood pressure is systolic of to and diastolic less than Stage 1 high blood pressure is systolic is to or diastolic between 80 to Stage 2 high blood pressure is when systolic is or higher or the diastolic is 90 or higher. These numbers should be used as a guide only. A single blood pressure measurement that is higher than normal is not necessarily an indication of a problem.
Your doctor will want to see multiple blood pressure measurements over several days or weeks before making a diagnosis of high blood pressure and starting treatment.
Ask your provider when to contact him or her if your blood pressure readings are not within the normal range. For people with hypertension, home monitoring allows your doctor to monitor how much your blood pressure changes during the day, and from day to day. This may also help your doctor determine how effectively your blood pressure medication is working.
Either an aneroid monitor, which has a dial gauge and is read by looking at a pointer, or a digital monitor, in which the blood pressure reading flashes on a small screen, can be used to measure blood pressure. The aneroid monitor is less expensive than the digital monitor. The cuff is inflated by hand by squeezing a rubber bulb. Some units even have a special feature to make it easier to put the cuff on with one hand.
However, the unit can be easily damaged and become less accurate. Because the person using it must listen for heartbeats with the stethoscope, it may not be appropriate for the hearing-impaired. The digital monitor is automatic, with the measurements appearing on a small screen.
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