Heart rate in normal and pathological conditions

The heart rate is one of the basic physiological parameters of the heart. The value of the heart rate depends on many factors: age, sex, environment, physical activity, the presence of diseases and so on. Determine this indicator by calculating the pulse or auscultation. A healthy person does not feel the beating of his own heart, his work goes unnoticed. If there are unpleasant palpitations, then, as a rule, it indicates certain deviations in his work.

The frequency of cardiac contraction is variable and may increase and decrease depending on the condition of the body. Changing it can be physiological, but it can also be a symptom of pathology.

Heart Rate: Normal

The rhythm of cardiac activity is considered correct if the contractions are performed rhythmically with a frequency of 60 to 80 beats per minute. There are physiological fluctuations in the heart rate. Women usually have a reduction of 7-8 per minute more than men. The frequency increases after eating and at the height of inspiration. With moderate physical and psychoemotional load, the heart rate increases to 90-120 per minute, and at high loads to 100-150 per minute. With a sudden change in the position of the body, the frequency increases by several beats per minute.

Heart rate above normal

An increase in heartbeat above 80 is called tachycardia and is often a symptom of many pathological conditions. The appearance of tachycardia is a consequence of the high activity of the sinus node, therefore it is called the sinus node.

Sinus tachycardia is often observed in practically healthy people. It happens with physical overloads, emotions, excitement, with pain, fever, drinking alcohol, strong coffee and tea, smoking. In these cases, talk about temporary tachycardia. Such an increase in heart rate gradually increases and also gradually weakens. The frequency of cardiac contractions in children in the form of tachycardia is a physiological phenomenon. The magnitude of this indicator in children can be more than 200 beats per minute. At sportsmen during the maximum loading it can reach 190-200 impacts in a minute.

Long-term tachycardia is defined in many pathological conditions. The heart rate increases with increasing body temperature: with an increase in temperature by one degree, the frequency becomes more than ten contractions. The number of heartbeats is higher than normal with thyroid hyperfunction, heart diseases with myocardial damage - myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, cardiosclerosis, as well as with CNS disorders - depression, neuroses, neurasthenia.

Heart rate below normal

If the heart rate is less than sixty cuts per minute, then this condition is called bradycardia. Bradycardia can be associated with the constitution of a person and is often family. There are often bradycardias in athletes, people well trained, doing physical work. In these cases, it has no clinical significance. Bradycardia is often observed in people with labile nervous system, in which the tone of the vagus nerve predominates. Reduction in the frequency of contractions is observed in the sleeping person, during vomiting and other conditions that occur with a high tone of the vagus nerve. Bradycardia often occurs in many infectious diseases, especially those caused by viruses, can sometimes occur with myocardial infarction, with the localization of the necrosis site in the area of the posterior wall sections. The appearance of bradycardia may result in the treatment of certain drugs, including beta-blockers, an overdose of potassium preparations.