what is the relationship between the heartbeat and the pulse rate how it can be observed? ? ​

Réponse:

Our pulse (or heart rate) is the rate at which our heart beats over a minute. This rhythm may be regular or not (arrhythmia), too slow (bradycardia) or too fast (tachycardia).

Explications étape par étape:

The heart rate is measured either manually or with a heart rate monitor. To do this, place your index finger and middle finger on the artery of the neck or wrist and count the number of beats you feel over a minute (bpm). The standards are:

- in a resting adult: 60 to 100 beats per minute. The frequency is often higher in women than in men;

- in a newborn: between 120 and 160 beats per minute, this figure decreases as the child grows up;

- in athletes, the heart rate is often low, it can drop to 40 beats per minute;

- the heart rate accelerates in case of physical activity to better oxygenate the muscles, however it must not exceed a certain threshold; to know him, one must subtract his age from: 226 for a woman, and 220 for a man. Example in a 30-year-old woman: 226-30-196. His heart rate during physical activity should not exceed 196 bpm.

Related: Heart failure: spotting shortness of breath

Cardiovascular disease: what does a low heart rate (bradycardia) reveal?

Below 60 beats per minute, we speak of bradycardia, this situation is normal in the athlete or the elderly, but bradycardia can also reveal:

- a potassium deficiency;

- a heart condition;

- intracranial hypertension;

- hypothyroidism.

Any sudden bradycardia should lead to a medical consultation.

Cardiovascular disease: what does a high heart rate (tachycardia) reveal?

Apart from an episode of stress, an acceleration of the heart rate can reveal:

- an inflammatory disease;

- hyperthyroidism;

- a lack of iron (anaemia);

- hemorrhage;

- a pulmonary embolism

- taking drugs or any other exciting (coffee, tobacco);

- a heart condition.

Cardiovascular disease: how does our heart rate regulate?

Apart from any pathological condition, our heart rate is regulated by our autonomic nervous system. We can distinguish:

- the parasympathetic nervous system that slows the heart rate via the pneumogastric nerve (or vagal nerve);

- the sympathetic nervous system that accelerates the heart rate through the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine.

A heart that beats too slowly or too quickly permanently causes heart failure in the long run. It is therefore a good thing to consult your doctor if you find that your rhythm is abnormal.