Tachycardia is a medical term used to describe a heart rate in persons over 15 years of age of over 100 beats per minute. Sometimes, it is necessary for your heart rate to be elevated, but at other times, it can be life-threatening. During exercise, the heart rate in a healthy adult could easily surpass 100 beats per minute safely. The most common cause is sinus tachycardia, but in people with heart disease, exercise-induced tachycardia can lead to death.
Symptoms
If your heart is beating faster than normal, you may feel a pounding or fluttering feeling in your chest; some people may feel short of breath or dizzy. The elevated heart rate could even cause some chest discomfort, sweating and nausea. Some people may pass out. People with severe heart disease are at risk for sudden death.
Causes
The job of your heart is to pump blood through the body and supply oxygen to the muscles and organs. When you exercise, it is a normal response for your heart rate to increase because your muscles are doing extra work and need the oxygen in the blood to do their job. Your rate of respiration also increases to bring more oxygen in. When you stop exercising, the heart rate should return to normal. Exercise-induced tachycardia in people with heart disease causes the bottom two chambers of the heart to beat faster than the smaller chambers at the top. If this persists, it could lead to a dangerous heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation, where the heart essentially quivers and does not adequately pump blood.
Treatment
Your heart rate should return to normal when you stop exercising. A normal decrease is about 12 beats per minute within a minute after stopping. If while you are doing physical activity and you notice dizziness, nausea or chest discomfort or feel that you might pass out, stop immediately and contact your doctor. You may need to be evaluated for heart disease and have further tests done, including electrocardiography.
Conclusion
The maximum heart rate during exercise for healthy individuals is roughly 220 minus your age, although this may vary on the basis of a number of factors, including age, gender and fitness level. However, you only need to reach 50 to 85 percent of that total to receive the maximal benefit for your heart. Remember, these figures apply to healthy people, as elevations in heart rate in people with heart disease can lead to death. Be sure to see your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen.
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