According to the American Heart Association, a normal resting heart rate is between 60 (beats per minute) and 100 (beats per minute) for people 15 years and older. However, a low heart rate can also be common in athletes, people who are physically fit, or people who take medications such as beta-blockers. The chart below shows normal heart rates by age.
The American Heart Association recommends people exercise according to their specific target heart rate zone. Target heart rate zone refers to a safe heart rate range during exercise, and it differs by age. It is calculated as a percentage (usually between 50 and 85 percent) of your maximum heart rate. Exercising below 50 percent may not help you reach your desired goals of fitness, whereas exercising beyond 85 percent may cause common problems such as sore muscles to something as serious as a heart attack. How to Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate and Target Heart Rate Here are steps to calculate your maximum heart rate and target heart rate zone:
Below age-based maximum heart rate and target heart rate zones are listed.
The heart rate, also called the pulse, is the number of times the heartbeats per minute (BPM). To find your heart rate, check your pulse, which can be felt on your:
Place your finger (not your thumb) over your pulse and count the number of beats in 60 seconds to get your heart rate. See Answer
Image Source: iStock Images https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure/all-about-heart-rate-pulse https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2172054-overview#a2 All About Heart Rate (Pulse). Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure/all-about-heart-rate-pulse Normal Vital Signs. Available at: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2172054-overview#a2 Your Heart Rate. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/watching-rate-monitor?tex=vb3&prop16=vb3. What is Supraventricular Tachycardia?. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/what-is-supraventricular-tachycardia Are OTC Allergy and Cold Medications Making Your Heart Race?. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/otc-allergy-and-cold-medications-may-be-bad-for-your-heart/#:~:text=A%20decongestant%20eases%20congestion%20by,heart%20rate%2C%20or%20skipped%20beats. Does Alcohol Cause AFib?. https://www.webmd.com/hase/atrial-fibrillation/atrial-fibrillation-alcoholeart-dise https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/what-are-the-types-of-tachycardia https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/about-arrhythmia/tachycardia--fast-heart-rate Target Heart Rates Chart https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates
Tachycardia refers to a faster than normal heart rate. Normal electrical conduction in the heart starts with the generation of electricity in the sinus node in the upper portion of the right atrium. Electricity moves from the sinus node through the atrium. From there, it is transmitted through the AV node to the ventricles. As electricity passes to the ventricles, the heart muscle contracts. What is Tachycardia?Tachycardia simply means a fast heart rate. A normal heart rate in a child varies quite a bit based on age as well as activity level. In a normal teenager, the resting heart rate is typically between 60 and 100 beats per minute. With activity, the heart rate may get as high as 200 beats per minute. During sleep, the heart rate can occasionally drop as low as 30-40 beats per minute. Tachycardia CausesThe most common cause of tachycardia in children and teenagers is sinus tachycardia. This simply means that the sinus node is firing at a fast rate. Most of the time sinus tachycardia is a normal physiologic response. For example, during exercise the heart rate normally increases as the metabolic needs of the body increase. Other conditions which cause an increased metabolic rate may also cause sinus tachycardia, for example fever, infection, or stress. In all of these examples, sinus tachycardia is a normal, expected physiologic response of the body. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common abnormal form of tachycardia that affects children. SVT is most commonly caused by the presence of an extra conducting pathway from the atrium to the ventricles. In conjunction with the AV node, an electrical circuit is established which allows for rapid transmission of electricity in the circuit. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is one specific form of SVT. Less common forms of abnormal tachycardia seen in children include atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter, junctional tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. Tachycardia SymptomsBecause sinus tachycardia is usually a normal physiologic response, most children with sinus tachycardia have no symptoms whatsoever. Children with abnormal tachycardias often feel a sensation of palpitations, or a racing heartbeat. If the heart rate is fast enough, a child may feel dizzy or lightheaded. Rarely syncope or loss of consciousness may occur. Tachycardia TreatmentTreatment of tachycardia in children depends on the underlying cause. Physiologic sinus tachycardia requires no treatment whatsoever. Tachycardia due to an abnormal heart rhythm, for example SVT, usually requires either medication or a procedure to cure it permanently. Medically Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD on August 25, 2020 Your child’s vital signs can give you important health clues. Many things can affect the numbers. But if they’re outside the normal range, it could be a sign of possible health issues. Note that normal vital sign values for children are different than they are for adults. They also vary depending on age, sex, and weight. The four vital signs are: A fever means your child’s temperature is higher than usual. It’s the main way their body fights an infection. How to check Use a digital thermometer to take your child’s temperature in the mouth, or rectally in the bottom. A rectal temperature gives the more accurate reading. That’s the way you should do it if your baby is younger than 3 months. With older infants and children, an oral reading is fine unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Always clean the thermometer in soapy water and rinse with cool water before you use it. Never use the same thermometer to take an oral and rectal temperature. To take a rectal temperature: To take an oral temperature: Normal temperature A normal temperature is 98.6 F if taken in the mouth, and 99.6 F if taken in the bottom. If the oral temperature is above 99.5 F or the rectal reading is 100.4 F or higher, your child has a fever. Call your doctor ASAP if your baby is younger than 3 months and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 F or higher. Even if your baby doesn’t have any other symptoms, a fever in infants can be serious. Also called a pulse, this is how many times the heart beats each minute. It’s faster when your child is active and slower when they’re seated or asleep. Your doctor will check the heart rate during well-child visits. If you need to monitor your child’s heart rate because of a medical condition, your doctor will tell you how and how often to check it. You should also check your child’s pulse if they: How to check Make sure your child has been seated for at least 5 minutes before you start. Place your first two fingers on the front of their neck or the inside of the wrist, armpit, or elbow crease. You should feel thumps against your fingers. Set a timer for 30 seconds and count the beats. Double that number, and that’s your child’s heart rate. Normal heart rate: A heart rate that’s slower than usual can signal a problem. For infants, it can mean: A slower than usual heart rate in kids can also mean there’s an issue in the structure of their heart. This is how many breaths your child takes per minute. This number may go up when they’re excited, nervous, in pain, or have a high fever. A fast or slow respiratory rate means your child may have trouble breathing. Call your pediatrician if you have any concerns. How to check Set a timer for 30 seconds and count the number of times your child’s chest rises. Double that number to get their respiratory rate. Normal rate (breaths per minute): If your baby or child’s pulse is fast or they have any of the following symptoms, it could mean they’re having trouble breathing: Respiratory distress is serious. It means your child isn’t getting enough oxygen. This might be because of: Call your doctor or 911, or get to the emergency room right away. Stay calm and try to keep your child calm while keeping them in a comfortable position. Blood pressure is the force of blood as it flows through the vessels that move blood from the heart to the body. Children can get high blood pressure just as adults do. If your child grows up with high blood pressure, or hypertension, it could make them more likely to have a stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney disease. Blood pressure is measured using two numbers: Your child might have high blood pressure because of:
Hypotension is blood pressure that’s too low. It can make your child feel nauseated, dizzy, or faint. Your child may have low blood pressure because of: How to check Your child’s doctor will start to check blood pressure at age 3. Your child may need to have it checked sooner if they: If your doctor tells you to check your child’s blood pressure at home, use an automatic monitor with a cuff that fits on the upper arm. Take the monitor with you to your next appointment so your doctor can check that you use it correctly. Normal levels These numbers differ for children, depending on their age, height, and sex. The top number is systolic pressure, and the bottom one is diastolic pressure. Both numbers should be below the limit. For boys: 1 year old: less than 98/52 2 years old: less than 100/55 3 years old: less than 101/58 4 years old: less than 102/60 5 years old: less than 103/63 6 years old: less than 105/66 7 years old: less than 106/68 8 years old: less than 107/69 9 years old: less than 107/70 10 years old: less than 108/72 11 years old: less than 110/74 12 years old: less than 113/75 For girls: 1 year old: less than 98/54 2 years old: less than 101/58 3 years old: less than 102/60 4 years old: less than 103/62 5 years old: less than 104/64 6 years old: less than 105/67 7 years old: less than 106/68 8 years old: less than 107/69 9 years old: less than 108/71 10 years old: less than 109/72 11 years old: less than 111/74 12 years old: less than 114/75 For boys and girls 13 and older: less than 120/80. If your child’s vital signs are off, you may need to see a doctor. Vital signs can vary based on time of day and the emotional state of your child. If your child has a drastic change, that could be a sign of a problem. Your doctor will have a better idea of what’s outside of normal and can monitor your child over time if needed. |