Spontaneous Heart Rate

Measuring your heart rate says a lot about you. If your heart rate is low, it may reveal that you are an avid runner. If your heart rate is high, it may reveal you are stressed, have been ill or that you lead a sedentary life. Many stories can be told based upon a set of numbers that regularly fluctuate. Being aware of what these heart rate numbers mean and what is "normal" is an important step in overall health.

Identification

Spontaneous heart rate can be defined as the normal beating of the heart and its response to stimuli such as movement. For heart rate to be considered "spontaneous" it should not be affected by mechanical devices such as a pacemaker or defibrillator. Spontaneous heart rate may be indicative of a healthy heart or used as a prognostic tool for disease.

Function of a Healthy Heart

A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute for the average person, while a conditioned athlete may have a resting heart rate of 40 beats per minutes. Resting heart rate is measured when you are either sitting or lying down after prolonged rest. Factors that can influence your resting heart rate include stress, medication, illness, fitness level and temperature as well as your size.

Significance of Heart Disease

Elevated resting heart rate is now being recognized as a risk factor for heart disease. For patients already diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, an elevated resting heart rate can be predictive of impending heart attack, mortality or progression of disease. Variations in heart rate are also an indication of neural activity in the heart and may be symptomatic of a problem in the baroreceptors or within the autonomic nervous system.

Effects of Exercise

Heart rate naturally increases with exercise. The amount it increases may be indicative of overall fitness and how efficient the heart pumps blood to extremities. A conditioned athlete whose resting heart rate is only 40 may have to work very hard to exceed an exercise heart rate of 100. Conversely, an unfit individual whose resting heart rate is 80 may easily exceed his maximum heart rate while doing moderate exercise. If your heart rate quickly and easily exceeds your maximum heart rate, a visit to your doctor will help determine if there are any health problems.

Considerations

It's important to be aware that women's heart rates respond differently than men's. Women who have elevated resting heart rates are also at risk for developing cardiovascular disease; however, the resting heart rate range for women is different than for men. A study released by the American Heart Association revealed that women require a different equation when determining proper heart rate ranges for rest and for exercise. It is likely that women have been erroneously diagnosed, or diagnosed with more severe heart disease than truly exists based upon old formulas derived for male patients.