Why Is Heart Rate Important?

The number of times the heart beats per minute is called heart rate or pulse. It is an important gauge for heart health. Normal heart rate varies from person to person. It can change frequently throughout the day and vary based on each person’s fitness level and underlying medical conditions.

Normal resting heart rate for adults can range from 60 to 100 beats a minute. But recent guideline suggests about 50 to 70 beats per minute is ideal. This is because, as indicated by recent studies, a resting heart rate higher than 76 beats per minute may be linked to a higher risk of heart attack.

A heart rate lower than 60 does not, however, necessarily signal a medical problem. A lower heart rate just implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. A well-trained athlete, for instance, might have a normal resting heart rate closer to 40 beats a minute. 

Many factors like physical activity, age and gender Heart rate can affect heart rate. Heart rate can be higher during physical activity. After a meal, the heart rate can also increase to help digestion. Having larger quantities of food can increase the heart rate for a longer period of time. Caffeine can raise the heart rate considerably, too.

If one has a resting heart rate consistently above 100 beats per minute, palpitations and an exaggerated heart rate response out of proportion to his physiological needs, he or she may have an unusual condition called inappropriate sinus tachycardia. This condition is usually considered only when other causes of fast heart rate have been excluded.

Symptoms from medical conditions, including fever, pain, dizziness, shortness of breath and chest discomfort, can lead to a fast heart rate. Interestingly, rapid heart rate may itself result in symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath, especially in those with heart diseases.

Generally, people should consult their doctors if their resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats a minute or if they are not trained athlete but their resting heart rate is below 60 beats a minute, especially if they have other signs or symptoms like fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath.

Heart rate can be measured by checking the pulse. The best places to find the pulse are the wrists, inside of the elbow, side of the neck or top of the foot. For example, if one wishes to measure the pulse at the neck, then he or she should place the index and third fingers on the neck to the side of the windpipe. To check the pulse at the wrist, he or she should place 2 fingers between the bone and the tendon over the radial artery that is located on the thumb side of the wrist. Once the pulse is felt, count the number of beats in 60 seconds.

Can Heartbreak Really Raise Heart Disease Risk?

Heartbreak, as defined by Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, means crushing grief, anguish, or distress.

When a person loses his or her loved one, heartbreak or broken heart can occur. The losing of loved one can be through dead, divorce, breakup, being rejected or any other means. Many people are not aware that they actually have a broken heart as it takes time for them to fully acknowledge the emotional or physical loss.

Australian researchers revealed on September 15, 2009 that people with broken heart because of losing loved one are 6 times more likely to suffer heart attack. When blood flow to the muscle of the heart is impaired, heart attack might occur.

A Heartbreak Foundation study of physical changes suffered immediately after a profound loss found that grieving people were at a much higher risk of getting medical problems related to heart disease. The researchers discovered that the grieving people had higher blood pressure, increased heart rate, changes to immune system and clotting that would raise the risk of heart attack.

Half of the 160 people participated in the study lose a partner or child. Their risk of heart attack was found to increase 6-fold. The risk reduced after 6 months even for people as young as 30 years old. The risk, however, leveled off after 2 years.

It is believed that a sudden flood of stress hormones is behind the grief-induced heartache. Such condition has been found to be more likely to affect women in earlier studies.

Is High Resting Heart Rate Linked to Diabetes and Obesity?

Heart rate is the number of heartbeats per minute. It can be determined by taking the pulse. Resting heart rate is a person’s heart rate at rest. It varies with age, size, sex, and overall cardiovascular condition. The best time to get one’s resting heart rate is in the morning before getting out of bed.

It is the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is a network of neurons in the body operating without conscious thought that regulates the heart rate. It is believed that the large intestine, blood vessels, pupil dilation, perspiration and blood pressure are affected by heart rate.

A recent report, published in the American Journal of Hypertension in December 2008, revealed that high resting heart rates might be linked to the development of diabetes and obesity. Researchers in Japan found that people with resting heart rates of over 80 beats per minute had a higher chance of developing insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

As one of the first few studies to examine the impact of heart rates on human body’s metabolism, the project involved 614 participants who were followed over a period of 20 years. These participants were divided into 4 groups: people with heart rates of below 60, 60-69, 70-79, and over 80.

In comparison with people with heart rates below 60, those having heart rates of above 80 were 1.34 times more likely to be obese, 1.2 times more likely to develop insulin resistance, and 4.39 times more likely to end up diabetic.

Such findings help depict the link between obesity and the SNS, which might in turn also help understand their casual role in the development of heart attack and stroke, two of the leading causes of death worldwide.

The researchers believe that the excessive nerve activities may be the cause that a person becomes obese since they reduce the amount of fat burnt in the body.

Can Aromatherapy Products Help Relieve Stress?

People spend a fortune on aromatherapy products marketed by health and beauty companies believing that this would help them relieve their stress and improve their health conditions. Stress is known to be a risk factor for heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and many other medical disorders.

However, a recent study by a group of researchers at Ohio State University might just make them disappointed. The researchers reported in April 2008 in the Journal “Psychoneuroendocrinology” that these expensive scented oils may help people’s mood but would not do much on their health. Just like many home remedies, there is no hard evidence to support that these so-called ‘good smell’ would be good for the body.

Knowing that the placebo effect could have a very strong impact on one’s health, the researchers hope to test the claimed stress-relieving and healing properties of 2 of the most popular aromatherapy scents, lavender and lemon, in a measurable way.

In the study, 56 healthy male and female volunteers underwent a series of tests over 3 half-day sessions. Each of them was tested in advance to make sure that each had a normal sense of smell.

To test the impact of the smells, the nostrils of the participants were taped with cotton balls laced with essential oils and distilled water.

To see if the smells could help manage pain responses, the subjects’ feet were dunked in ice-cold water.

To see if it would improve healing, a standard test was performed in such a way that tape was applied and removed repeatedly on the same spot of skin.

To test the impact on the mood, the subjects were asked to complete 3 standard psychological tests during each session.

To test the impact on stress levels, the subjects’ period blood tests were taken and their blood pressure and heart rates monitored.

The series of experiments conducted on lemon or lavender oils did not show any positive health effect on the immune system or on the body’s ability to mitigate pain or stress. Nevertheless, the lemon oil did show a clear mood enhancement

The researchers claimed that the current study is probably the most comprehensive study ever done in the area, but they admitted that they still failed to discover any quantitative results on whether these oils provide any physiological effect for people in general.

The human body is infinitely complex. Therefore, if one uses these oils and feels better, there is no way for scientists to prove that it does not improve that individual’s health.

In conclusion, good smells may make people feel better but one should not rely on them to change the physiology.

When Does Heart Attack Occur Most?

People tend to eat and drink more during festive seasons like Christmas, New Year. It is, therefore, very common to see a surge in heart attack during such period.

In the United States, December and January are the deadliest months for heart attack when people consume rich food and extra alcohol, and at the same time, suffer seasonal stress. Nonetheless, the worst thing is that there would be a double dose of denial.

People may initially take chest pain as indigestion. Research shows that people who are possible candidates for heart attack are also more reluctant to rush to hospital when they feel that the holiday gathering is being disrupted or when they are in a city that they do not live in.

According to a study conducted in 2004, the seasoning swing in heart attack in the United States was noticed, with the peak in the number of deaths around the period of Christmas and New Year holidays.

Many factors can cause such phenomenon. For instance, people may just skip or forget to take their medications. Some people may put on weight especially when they skip exercising. As we know, digesting a particularly heavy and high-fat meal tends to pressure the heart, thus causing blood pressure and heart rate to increase. Heart will definitely have to pump harder.

For alcohol lovers, they may suffer 'holiday heart syndrome', which occurs when alcohol irritates the heart muscle, triggering an irregular heartbeat that can cause a stroke.

Furthermore, hospitals may be short of staffs during festive seasons, as most people would be taking their leaves as well. All this can cause a delay in treating a heart attack victim.

A New Wireless Device To Monitor Heart Rate!

If elderly people who live alone experience certain medical conditions such as heart attack, heart failure, etc, medical assistance may not be able to offer in time to save their life. Thanks to technology, a new high-tech gizmo was designed by a group of engineers from a polytechnic in Singapore that can be used to help these elderly people.

The new device, known as Wireless Pulse Sense (WiPS), is actually a heart-rate monitor. It is a portable device capable of detecting irregular pulse rate in the presence of body fluids and environmental contaminants such as water by using magnetic forces. If abnormal heart rate is detected, the device will send out a phone call or text message to Peace Connect, a voluntary welfare organization in Singapore, in the day and to youth volunteers' cellphones after office hours. The organization is in fact developing a buddy system that will pair seniors with neighborhood kids aged between 10 and 13.

The WiPS can be worn on the wrist like a watch, and its sensitivity would not be affected by long period of usage or contaminants because its performance is independent on direct skin contact.

WiPS was originally designed for the military. While undergoing strenuous exercises, a soldier's pulse rate may change drastically. This could be a sign of possible heat stroke or heart failure. Using WiPS, irregularities in a soldier’s pulse rate during field training can be detected immediately so that timely medical aid can be given.

In Singapore, WiPS has won the prestigious 2007 Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award in defense science. More information on how WiPS was designed can be found at the following webpage:

http://www.ydsp.sg/index.php?id=331

Heart Rate Can Be Lower By Eating Fish!

Increased heart rate is a risk factor for sudden death. Sudden death also known as cardiac arrest, and it occurs when the heart stops abruptly.

According to a study on 9,758 men, aged 50 to 59 from Lille, France and Belfast, Ireland, healthy men who ate fish regularly had lower average heart rates as compared to those who did not.

The men in the study were divided into 4 groups according to their fish intake: less than once per week (27.3 percent), once per week (46.9 percent), twice per week (20.1 percent), and more than twice per week (5.7 percent).

The adjusted heart rate ranged from 67.5 beats per minute (bpm) in men who ate fish less than once a week to 65.6 bpm for those consuming fish more than twice per week.

Omega-3 fatty acid may prevent sudden death and fatal cardiovascular events by regulating heartbeat and preventing irregular cardiac rhythms associated with sudden death. Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Music May Be Beneficial In Heart Disease!

Music introduces changes in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Such changes is related to the rhythm. The tempo of the music is more important than the style of music or an individual's music preference.

In a study, 24 healthy participants whose breathing rate, blood pressure, and other heart and respiratory parameters were monitored, before and while listening to different kinds of music and during 2-minute intermissions. Half of the participants were trained musicians while the other half had no musical training.

The participants, especially the trained ones, experienced increased blood pressure, accelerated breathing and heart rate when the music played was of faster rhythm. But during pauses and music of slower rhythms was played, relaxation was induced and their breathing and heart rate were slow. The relaxation effect was even more evident during pauses.

The study thus suggested that suitable selection of music, alternating slow and fast rhythms interspersed with pauses, can be used to induce relaxation that may be beneficial in modulating stress in heart disease and stroke.

2 Simple Principles To Prevent Heart Disease

Using easily-remembered numbers 3-5-7, the following two simple principles can help you prevent heart disease:

3-5-7 Healthy Heart Diet Principles
3 Highs (high in fiber, freshness, plant-based protein);
5 Lows (low in fat, cholesterol, salt, sugar and alcohol); and
70% Full for your diet.

3-5-7 Healthy Heart Exercise Principles
3 kilometers walk (or 5000 steps) per day;
5 times a week; and
Exercise heart rate at less than (170 minus Age) beats per minute. For example, if your age is 40, then your exercise heart rate should not exceed 130 beats per minute.

Stress and smoking can cause heart disease too, so do manage your stress level and stay away from smoking.