What is the heart rate and what to do if yours does not correspond to it

From Latin the word pulsus is translated as "blow", "push". PulseAll About Heart Rate (Pulse) Is a measure of how many beats the heart beats in one minute. Another term is sometimes used - heart rate (HR).

The life hacker found out everything about why you need to know your pulse and when its values ​​can warn of danger.

Why measure your pulse

Pulse is an important parameter that allows you to assess the state of the cardiovascular system and the body as a whole. It shows whether your heart is coping with fully providing internal organs and tissues with oxygen and nutrients.

If your heart beats calmly, unhurriedly, pumping blood in even strokes, then your body feels great. If the heart rate rises, this indicates that the organs do not have enough nutrition and respiration, and the heart has to strain to provide them with blood. This condition is called tachycardia.Heart arrhythmia - Symptoms and causes. Too infrequent pulse, in turn, may be a sign that the heart is "tired" and cannot supply the body with the required amount of blood. In this case, they talk about bradycardia.

To assess which pulse is too fast and which is too slow, the concept of a norm has been established. But, before moving on to it, you need to learn how to measure your heart rate.

How to measure your pulse correctly

Here are some simple rulesWhat's a normal resting heart rate?measurements.

• Take a stopwatch or watch with a second hand.
• Sit down, make sure you are calm and relaxed (this is important).
• Press the radial artery to your wrist with the pads of your index and middle fingers. It is located between the bone and tendon on the side of the thumb. You can also press the artery in your neck, near the windpipe. There are other points that are suitable for measurement, but in these two places the pulse is most distinct.
• Having caught the pulsation, count how many tremors occur in 15 seconds. Then multiply that number by 4 to get the beats per minute. Options for the patient: count the number of contractions in 30 seconds (and then multiply it by 2) or in a minute - in this case, the measurement will be more accurate.

What is the heart rate

The norm has a fairly wide range. This is due to the individual characteristics of each person, his age, weight, height, physical fitness.

Normal resting heart rate is in the following rangesPulse:

If your heart rate is in the indicated range, everything is in order (with some nuances, but more about them below). But if the heart rate goes beyond the upper or lower limit, this is an alarming symptom.

Why the pulse can be lower or higher than normal

By itself, a temporary decrease or increase in heart rate is normal. A healthy heart does not beat with the regularity of a clockwork. It speeds up and slows down to meet the body's changing oxygen demand.

Both tachycardia (heart rate faster than 100 beats per minute for an adult) and bradycardia (less often 60 beats) can be a completely natural physiological phenomenonDangerous Heart Rate. For example, the heart rate rises during sports activities. On the other hand, in active people accustomed to physical activity, the heart rate at rest is often reduced - sometimes up to 40 beats per minute. This is due to the fact that the heart muscle in athletes is also developed, it does not have to strain to maintain a steady rhythm.

There are other factors tooAll About Heart Rate (Pulse)that can speed up or slow down your heart rate:

• Air temperature. As the temperature and humidity rise, the heart rate increases. But, as a rule, no more than 5-10 beats per minute.
• Change in body position. When you lie down, sit or stand, your heart rate will be the same. But if you get up, your heart rate may increase slightly in the first 15–20 seconds. Most often, it returns to normal within a couple of minutes.
• Anxiety or stress. Experiences make the heart pump blood more actively, so the heart rate "on the nerves" increases.
• Fever. As the body temperature rises, the heart also increases activity.
• Bad habits. Excessive consumption of coffee and alcohol, love of cigarettes - all this speeds up the heart rate.
• A side effect of some medications. Medicines can change the pulse in both directions.

If your heart rate is faster or slower for any of the above reasons, this is normal. As soon as you calm down, get rid of a fever, or, for example, cut back on coffee, your heart rate will return to normal.

It is much more dangerous if none of the above factors are present, and your resting heart rate is regularly above or below normal.

What to do if your heart rate is below or above normal

If you see such situations constantly, consult a therapist.

This recommendation becomes mandatory if such surges in heart rate are accompanied by weakness and dizziness.

These symptoms can be a sign of cardiovascular disorders or other diseases - for example, anemia, hyper- or hypothyroidism, rheumatism, lupus.

When to call an ambulance

Dial 103 or 112 immediately if your heart rate drops or rises above normal and this situation is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• labored breathing;
• dizziness, weakness, lightheadedness;
• chest pain that lasts longer than a few minutes.

Which pulse within normal limits is considered ideal, and which is dangerous

Despite the fact that the upper limit of the normal heart rate reaches 100 beats per minute, there are some nuances.

So, in one studyImpact of changes in heart rate with age on all-cause death and cardiovascular events in 50-year-old men from the general population, which covered middle-aged men (50 years and older), it turned out the following.

Men whose resting heart rate reached 75 beats per minute or higher had twice the risk of premature death from any cause than their peers who had lower heart rate.

In middle-aged women (after menopause), the situation is similar. Those of them whose pulse exceeded 76 beats per minute at rest hadResting heart rate as a low tech predictor of coronary events in women: prospective cohort study. 26% greater risk of heart attack than women with a heart rate of less than 62.

The established pattern allows us to draw some conclusions. In particular, the following: from a young age, it makes sense to work so that by middle age the pulse at rest does not exceed 75–76 beats per minute. The best way is regular exercise, which will train not only your body, but also your heart.

Recall: before starting classes, consult a therapist. The doctor will find out if you have any contraindications, and will tell you which loads will be most effective in your particular case.