Deconstructing the myth that the normal range for the resting heart rate is 60-100.
REFERENCES
Maximum predicted HR:
Robergs R, Landwehr R. The surprising history of the “HRmax = 200-age” equation. Journal of Exercise Physiology online. 2002; 5:1-10.
https://www.asep.org/asep/asep/Robergs2.pdf
Fetal HR:
DuBose TJ. Embryonic heart rates. Fertil Steril. 2009; 92:e57.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19748085
Evidence for normal heart rate range:
Mason JW, et al. Electrocardiographic reference ranges derived from 79,743 ambulatory subjects. J Electrocardiol. 2007; 40:228-34.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17276451
Survey of cardiologists about defining normal sinus rhythm:
Spodick DH. Survey of selected cardiologists for an operational definition of normal sinus heart rate. Am J Cardiol. 1993; 72:487-8.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8352202
History of “normal sinus rhythm”:
Dolgin M. Normal sinus rhythm. Am J Cardiol. 1993; 71:496-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8430659
Kossmann CE. The normal electrocardiogram. Circulation. 1953;920-36.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13106913
Spodick DH. Is there such a thing as normal sinus rate? Br Heart J. 1993;486-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8260287
HR and mortality following a myocardial infarction:
Hjalmarson A, et al. Influence of heart rate on mortality after acute myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol. 1990;65:547-53.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1968702
HR and mortality among all adults:
Aladin A, et al. Relation of resting heart rate to risk for all-cause mortality by gender after considering exercise capacity (the Henry Ford exercise testing project). Am J Cardiol. 2014; 114:1701-6.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25439450
General background on the topic of normal HRs:
Spodick DH. Redefinition of normal sinus heart rate. Chest. 1993; 104:939-41.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8365314
In this video we look at what is a healthy heart rate, what affects heart rate, and how to take your pulse. We also look at normal heart rate as well as exercise and heart rate.
Transcript notes
What is heart rate?
What is a healthy heart rate?
What is a normal resting heart rate?
Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. It is measured in bpm or beats per minute. A healthy, Normal resting heart rate is usually between 60 and 80 beats per minute. The resting heart rate of a woman is usually about 10 beats more per minute than that of a man in the same age range, and elite athletes can have a resting heart rate near 40 beats per minute.
This is because Individuals that are fit have a larger stroke volume of the heart. Stoke volume is the amount of blood ejected from the heart per beat. So, the heart of someone who is really fit does not need to beat as many times to have the same output of blood as an unfit person.
Another thing that has a major effect on heart rate is stress. During stressful situations the body releases the hormone adrenaline which causes an increase in heart rate, which is beneficial when you are in danger, but unhealthy in everyday situations.
When you are sitting and resting, your heart beat will be lower, and as you start to move around, your heart beat will increase. When you exercise your heart rate will vary, depending on the intensity of the exercise, your age, the position your body is in, standing vs. lying down, your current fitness level, the type of exercise you are performing, and the temperature and humidity that you are in. Medications can also have a dramatic effect on heart rate.
As we get older, our maximum attainable heart rate decreases. There is a simple equation that is used to estimate a person’s heart rate max. 220 – your age, so for instance, for a 35 year old person, the equation would be 220 – 35 = 185, so their max heart rate should be somewhere around 185 beats per minute. That would be at full physical exertion, like sprinting all out. There is some margin for error of estimating heart rate max, so this number will give you a general idea.
There are many training devices that will gauge your heart rate throughout your day and exercise sessions, or you can do it the old fashioned way put the tips of your fingers on the blood vessel on the thumb side of your wrist. Use a timer on your phone and count the number of beats for 10 seconds, and then multiply that number by 6. For example I counted 11 beats, so 11 times 6 is 66. That means my resting heart rate is at 66.
And that be the basics on heart rates.
