Heart Rate and Disorders
Your heart rate varies by age, gender, and physical condition. Adult women typically have rates of 72-80 beats per minute (bpm), while men average 64-72 bpm. Infants have much higher rates around 120 bpm. A rate above 100 bpm is called tachycardia, while below 60 bpm is bradycardia (which can be normal in athletes).
Coronary artery disease (CAD) develops when coronary arteries become narrowed or blocked, usually due to a buildup of fatty deposits called plaques. This reduces blood flow to the heart muscle itself, potentially causing chest pain or a heart attack.
Heart failure doesn't mean your heart stops—it means it can't pump efficiently. If the left ventricle fails, blood backs up into the lungs causing pulmonary edema and breathing difficulties. Right ventricular failure causes blood to back up into the body, resulting in swelling in the liver and extremities.
Technology Connection: An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) records your heart's electrical activity through electrodes placed on your skin. The distinctive PQRST wave pattern shows different phases of the cardiac cycle. Doctors can spot many heart problems by analyzing variations in this pattern.