What Is a Dangerous Heart Rate? Doctors Share Serious Warning Signs Every Woman Needs To Know
Cardiologists reveal when a fast or slow pulse may signal something is wrong
Key Takeaways
- A normal resting heart rate for most adults falls between 60 and 100 bpm.
- Heart rate rises during exercise, but persistent sudden spikes can be a warning sign.
- Chest pain, dizziness or shortness of breath with an abnormal pulse need attention.
You know your heart is constantly beating, but when it suddenly starts racing, you may worry.. If you’re knee-deep in an intense exercise or just finished up a vigorous walk, you might chalk up a fast heart rate to exercise. But if you’re not doing much of anything, it can be alarming. We spoke to two cardiologists to find out what is a dangerous heart rate, what’s normal and how to help keep your heart rate in a healthy range.
What is a dangerous heart rate?
“A heart rate is generally considered ‘dangerous’ if it is consistently too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia) for the current situation, especially if it is accompanied by symptoms,” explains Ameera Ahmed, MD, interventional cardiologist with Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group. “For most adults, a consistently resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute (bpm) or under 60 bpm warrants investigation by a doctor.”
And while 60 to 100 bpm is a generally good range for most women to stay within at rest, there will be exceptions based on your personal health. “At rest, a heart rate below 60 or above 100 beats per minute is generally the threshold where I start paying closer attention, though a resting rate in the 40s and 50s can be completely normal and healthy for a fit woman, so context matters,” adds Kardie Tobb, DO, MS, FASPC, FACC, a board-certified preventive cardiologist and the medical director for the Cone Health HeartCare Women’s Heart Health and Cardio-Obstetrics Clinic.
Most wearable devices like smart watches or the Oura Ring measure your heart rate, or the number of times your heart beats per minute. But you can also calculate it yourself. Simply “place your index and middle fingers on the inside of your wrist, just below the thumb, count the beats you feel for 30 seconds [and] multiply that number by two to get your beats per minute.”
What is a dangerous heart rate while exercising?
The other exception to an elevated heart rate? You likely guessed it: exercise. We hear all the time that one of the key benefits of regular physical activity is getting our heart pumping, but just how much pumping is too much? Well, it depends on the type of exercise. For example, a heart rate that makes sense while walking might be different during other more intense forms of exercise.
“While walking, this is typically a light-intensity activity, so your heart rate might rise modestly, often into the 90 to 120 bpm range depending on pace and fitness,” says Dr. Tobb. “A dangerous sign is a heart rate that spikes disproportionately to the effort. For instance, jumping above 150 bpm on an easy stroll, or one paired with chest pain, severe shortness of breath, dizziness or a feeling like your heart is racing out of control.”
“During more vigorous exercise, [your] heart rate naturally climbs higher. A rough general guide for maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age, though this varies person to person,” adds Dr. Tobb. “A dangerous heart rate during vigorous activity is one that exceeds your safe training zone along with warning symptoms, or one that spikes suddenly and doesn’t gradually settle as you slow down or rest.”
Symptoms of a dangerous heart rate
Certain symptoms could signal a dangerously high or low heart rate before you or your device even notice. Dr. Tobb says symptoms to watch out for include:
- Chest pain, tightness or pressure
- Lightheadedness, dizziness or feeling like you might faint
- Shortness of breath with minimal exertion or especially at rest
- Losing consciousness or fainting
- Fluttering, pounding or skipping sensation in the chest (heart palpitations)
- Nausea, jaw/arm discomfort or cold sweats
- Unusual weakness or fatigue, especially if it’s sudden
Dr. Tobb says an occasional brief spike in heart rate is usually not cause for concern and could be due to stress, standing up quickly, a warm room or even caffeine. But a persistently dangerous heart rate is worth having checked, as it can lead to:
- Stroke, as certain irregular heartbeat rhythms like atrial fibrillation allow blood clots to form
- Heart failure from the heart working overtime
- Cardiac arrest in severely dangerous heart rate cases
- Worsening of underlying conditions such as coronary artery disease or thyroid disease
- Fall injuries from fainting
“This is why I encourage [people] not to dismiss a pattern of concerning heart rate readings, even if they feel okay in the moment,” adds Dr. Tobb. “Early evaluation is far easier to manage than a later crisis.”
5 tips to help maintain a healthy heart rate
While a dangerous heart rate can have serious complications for your health, there are easy things you can do at home to help support a normal heart rate. Dr. Ahmed shares her top five simple tips:
- Stay hydrated: Aim for 64 to 80 ounces of water a day. “Add electrolyte supplementation if you are exercising vigorously or exposed to heat for longer periods of time,” Dr. Ahmed adds.
- Eat magnesium-rich foods: Aim for one serving of spinach, almonds or pumpkin seeds daily, says Dr. Ahmed. “[You] can also use magnesium supplements in consultation with your doctor,” she continues.
- Lower stress: Aim for 10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing every day, recommends Dr. Ahmed. “This activates the vagus nerve, which naturally slows an elevated heart rate,” she explains.
- Get moderate exercise: About 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, per week is a good target to aim for, says Dr. Ahmed.
- Keep an eye on caffeine: Lower your caffeine intake to less than 200 mg a day, which translates to no more than a 12-ounce cup of coffee, adds Dr. Ahmed.
The bottom line
If you find that your heart rate often isn’t quite where it should be, it’s worth having a conversation with your doctor. And remember, a healthy heart rate starts with all the little things you can do each day.
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