A high heart rate in adults is generally over about 90 to 100 beats per minute, but depends on the circumstances. For example, a high heart rate in a healthy person during exercise is normal. A high heart rate at rest may be indicative of a problem somewhere in the body. It may be in the heart such as during tachyarrhythmias. Breaking this word down, "tachy" means fast and arrhythmias mean an abnormal rhythm of the heart. Other problems such as chemical signals released from inflammation during an infection can increase the heart rate. In the case of a dangerously elevated rate, certain drugs may be indicated to help slow the heart down.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers antagonize hormones and other signals released by nerve cells which contribute to the fight or flight response such as epinephrine, also known as adrenalin, and norepinephrine. While they do not block all the actions of these hormones, they are generally effective at slowing the heart down. According to the Texas Heart Institute, some commonly used beta blockers include propranolol and metoprolol.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium is generally in a low concentration in the cell. When levels rise suddenly in a muscle cell, the muscle contracts. Also, when levels rise in electrical cells of the heart, the electrical signal is propagated through the heart. Therefore, blocking channels that let calcium into the cell well slow down muscular contraction. Calcium channel blockers come in two types. One is more active at reducing the blood pressure, the other is more active on the heart.Two calcium channel blockers used to slow the heart down include verapamil and diltiazem according to the MayoClinic.com
Adenosine
The heart's top two chambers are called atria; they receive the blood from the body on the right and the lungs on the left. The bottom chambers are the ventricles. An electrical system coordinates the contraction of the atria followed by the ventricles. Adenosine momentarily blocks the flow of electricity from the atria to the ventricles. This can be useful to slow the heart down for purposes of diagnosing an abnormal heart rate on an ECG. In addition, slowing the conduction from atria to ventricle can break some abnormal cycles of electricity that are overexciting the heart.
Amiodarone
Amiodarone is a drug that slows down many of the currents in the heart. It is often used in life threatening emergencies, but at times is also prescribed on an ongoing basis, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is effective at slowing the heart down, but has appreciable side effects in some people, including lung, liver, eye and thyroid problems, which generally abate when the drug is discontinued.
Digoxin
Digoxin is a drug derived from a plant which can be used in a particular type of arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation. In this condition, the atria do not pump regularly; instead they rapidly quiver in a uncoordinated fashion. The rapid electrical activity can signal the ventricles to pump too rapidly, leading to dangerously high heart rates. Digoxin can help stabilize this condition. Levels of the drug in the blood are checked occasionally to be sure the drug does not reach toxic levels.
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