PHOENIX, July 11 (Phoenix Times Online) — If a resting pulse keeps climbing above 100 beats per minute, doctors say it is worth paying attention to — not because it always means a heart emergency, but because it can be a clue to something else going on, such as anemia, infection or an overactive thyroid.
Here is what medical groups say a normal reading means, how to check it, and what can make it run high.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
The American Heart Association, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health, the British Heart Foundation and Yale Medicine all describe a normal resting heart rate for most adults as about 60 to 100 beats per minute. The American Heart Association says a resting rate above 100 beats per minute is tachycardia, or a fast heart rate.
Harvard Health says clinicians usually do not worry unless the resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats per minute.
What can cause a fast resting pulse?
A fast pulse does not always mean a heart problem. The American Heart Association, Harvard Health, Cleveland Clinic, the British Heart Foundation and Yale Medicine list many possible causes, including:
- anemia
- infection or fever
- overactive thyroid, also called hyperthyroidism
- dehydration
- stress or anxiety
- caffeine or other stimulants
- poor physical conditioning
- pregnancy
- some medicines
The American Heart Association also says heart-related causes can include heart disease, heart attack or heart failure-related damage to the heart muscle, chronic lung disease, severe bleeding and very low blood pressure.
Cleveland Clinic says a resting rate above 100 usually is not normal, although it can rise temporarily with stress or anxiety. The British Heart Foundation says a resting pulse above 100 is too fast for most people.
What symptoms can come with it?
Yale Medicine cardiologist Srijan Shrestha, MD, says a high resting heart rate can be felt as palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness. He also says it may cause no symptoms at all.
That matters because people may not notice the problem until a doctor checks the pulse.
How do doctors and patients check it?
Yale Medicine says a resting pulse can be checked at the wrist, inside the elbow, neck or top of the foot. The heart rate can be counted for 15 seconds and multiplied by four. If the pulse feels irregular, Yale Medicine says it can be counted for 30 seconds and multiplied by two, or counted for a full minute.
Why does a high resting heart rate matter?
Doctors use it as a signal to look for the cause. Yale Medicine says anemia can be related to menstruation and blood loss, and in older adults it may come from small gastrointestinal bleeds or colon cancer. Yale Medicine also says doctors may treat the underlying cause, such as iron supplementation for anemia or medication for hyperthyroidism.
In other words, a fast pulse is often a clue, not a diagnosis.
When is it more likely to need a doctor’s review?
Henry Ford Health’s Dr. Keteyian says that if a resting heart rate is above 100 or below 50 and cannot be explained by obvious factors such as regular exercise, it should be checked by a doctor.
The broader point from the medical groups is simple: a resting pulse that stays high may be harmless for a short time after coffee, stress or illness, but if it keeps happening, it can be the body’s way of signaling anemia, infection, thyroid problems or another condition that needs attention.
