Heart rate is a valuable measure of cardiovascular fitness since it can provide information on how the heart works during rest and also in certain conditions.

A resting heart rate is usually between 60 and 100 bpm in adults and variations outside this range may be signs of further disease or other illnesses.

Knowledge of which heart rate is dangerous is pivotal in allowing early intervention for heart related complications.

Through this blog, Karetrip explains dangerous heart rate and how to manage it.

Dangerous Heart Rate: Know All About It

Pulse or rate of beating in the heart is commonly defined as the number of times the heart beats in one minute. The normal resting rate for adult people can oscillate between 60 to 100 beats per minute or bpm. However, a pulse rate below or above this normal range may indicate certain health problems.

Learning when a heart rate is dangerous adds to cardiovascular health knowledge and when a person should rush to get help. Heart rate can become dangerous due to many reasons. Extreme magnitude of the heart rates is considered endangering, that is both high and low.

Below are the two main conditions to be aware of:

Tachycardia

Tachycardia is defined as a heart rate of greater than 100 bpm while at rest. Common causes include

• High blood pressure

• Fever

• Thyroid issues

• Stress

• Taking very large amount of caffeine or alcohol

Some medications

LSD, Ecstasy, Marijuana or Hashish, Illegal stimulant use (cocaine or methamphetamines and such). Symptoms may include dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fainting.

Bradycardia

Any rate below 60 bpm is considered as bradycardia. Some surges specifically are not a problem, assuming the reader is a trained athlete. However, when accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, or fainting, it may indicate problems such as

• Random ageing of the heart muscle fibres

• Included is heart disease or prior myocardial infarction

• Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid, some types of thyroid cancer

• Some infections

Some medicines are especially those used in dealing with heart complications. In such cases, bradycardia could potentially lead to insufficient blood flow to the organs, causing severe complications.

What Makes a Heart Rate Dangerous?

The well-known causes of abnormal heart rates include age, fitness and general health of the individual and the intensity of physical activity. Although some changes may be normal or very brief and can be related to increased stress, exercise or change in body position, others could point out serious health problems such as arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).

There is, however, one sort of irregular heart rhythm, namely ventricular fibrillation, that results in sudden cardiac arrest due to a very fast and irregular rate.

By the same token, in ventricular fibrillation, instead of pumping blood, the heart shakes or quivers, greatly reducing blood pressure, and bringing circulation to a halt. If not treated on time it can be fatal.

How to Manage and Monitor Heart Rate ?

This means that if abnormality of your heart rate is to occur, it will be easily detected by routine monitoring.

• Smartwatch and fitness bracelets are now essential tools to track tendencies in heart rate during waking hours and night.

• Some of these devices can also flag users to conditions, for example, a high or low resting heart rate and thus encourage them to seek professional medical advice.

• Leading a healthy lifestyle includes exercise, proper diet, taking more greens and lean protein, steering clear from too much caffeine or alcohol and reducing stress through activities such as yoga or meditation to reduce one’s risk of experiencing dangerous heart rates.

• Further, as some drugs like beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers, can affect the heart rate by slowing it down or maintaining abnormal beating patterns. Please make sure and tell your doctor about any medication that you may be taking or any supplement for that matter, because it may affect the functioning of the heart.

• Main principles for avoiding dangerous heart rate and their prevention are being informed and implementing changes to one’s behaviour when necessary in order to keep the cardiovascular system healthy and stable.

Heart Rate Viability

This refers to the time difference between two successive heartbeats. HRV is not the same as heartbeat rate. Since HRV is not the same as heartbeat rate it conveys information about how the cardiovascular system responds to various physiologic states such as stress, exercise, and rest.

A higher HRV generally indicates good autonomic nervous system function and cardiovascular health, while low HRV is often associated with chronic stress, heart disease, and increased risk of adverse events like heart attacks or sudden cardiac arrest .

Regular monitoring of HRV, particularly through wearable devices, can provide valuable insights into overall heart health and can be used to optimise exercise routines, stress management, and recovery strategies.

The integration of HRV tracking into a more complex cardiovascular health program can prove when the heart is under more pressure and when it is most appropriate to switch up personal behaviours.

The information provided represents the views and opinions of Karetrip. It is crucial to conduct your own independent research before making any decisions regarding your healthcare journey.