Women and Heart Rate: What’s Normal and What’s Dangerous?

Normal Heart Rate in Women: When it is Dangerous and More

Women usually have higher average heart rates than men. Menopause and pregnancy both influence the changes in heart function. If the heart rate at the resting stage is consistently above 100 BPM or below 60 BPM, it is concerning and requires medical attention.  

What is the Normal Heart Rate for Women?

The cardiac rate for a normal woman is 72 BPM to 80 BPM, which falls under the normal range (60 BPM to 100 BPM). Various factors, like exercise, lifestyle choices, and hormones, can affect her heart rate.

What are the Symptoms of Dangerous Heart Rate?

Here are the common symptoms you should observe especially during pregnancy if your heart rate dangerously soars above:

• Sudden Fatigue: Experiencing fatigue is common. However, if the feeling is sudden and unaccounted for, you should seek medical assistance.
• Fainting: Losing consciousness is a sign of risk during pregnancy. Make sure to check it out and identify any other complications.
• Difficulty Breathing: Shortness of breath is sometimes normal during pregnancy, as the growing foetus pushes against other organs. A chronic breathing problem could be a sign of a dangerously high heart rate.
• Chest Discomfort: Consult with your doctor if you feel chest pain or discomfort during your pregnancy.  

Causes of High Heart Rate in Women

High heart rate or tachycardia, can be a risk. Although a high heart rate is common during pregnancy, a dangerously high heart rate is concerning. Following are the main causes for this medical condition.

• Underlying Mental Conditions: women especially during pregnancy go through lots of mental health changes. A common cause is anxiety and stress related to the baby. Expectant mothers often experience stress as they have to change their previous lifestyle. Moreover, anxiety related to the baby is common. It can cause a temporary high heart rate in pregnant women.
• Physical Changes and Complications: It is no wonder that a woman goes through significant physical changes during pregnancy. Your heart works faster during this time to meet the foetus's needs. Moreover, your blood volume increases 40-50%, which makes the heart work twice as hard. Additionally, hormonal changes also play a role in the higher heart rate.
• Medical Conditions: Coupled with the stress and anxiety of the baby, certain underlying medical conditions can also cause the heart rate to increase. If you have a previous history of heart arrhythmia, pregnancy can amplify it. Other causes may include thyroid, anaemia and medications.

What are the Factors that Affect Women’s Heart Rate?

Different factors influence women’s heart rate, including physical fitness, hormonal shifts, age, overall size, and heart health. Other additional factors, like lifestyle choices, medications, and emotions, can play a significant role in increasing the heart rate.

In the following section, we will discuss the factors in detail:

Hormonal Fluctuations

• Menstrual Cycles: During ovulation, the progesterone level rises significantly, leading to a slight increase in heart rate.
• Menopause: Hormonal changes after menopause can affect the heart rate, along with cardiovascular health.   
   

Physical Fitness

• Low-level resting heart rates are generally seen in physically active women due to efficient cardiovascular health and stronger heart muscles.
• Vigorous exercise and workouts can also influence heart rate responses in women.  
   

Age

• In normal conditions, heart rate tends to decrease with age, but the hormonal changes during menopause can impact the heart rate.
• Many women experience palpitations during hot flashes, resulting in an increased heart rate.
   

Weight and Composition

• Women generally tend to gain weight with increasing age, resulting in higher cardiac rates.
• Body fat ratio, particularly central obesity, contributes to a higher resting heart rate, especially in women.
   

Heart Health

• Cardiovascular factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, or any underlying heart diseases, can influence heart rate in women.
• Conditions, like coronary microvascular disease, are quite common in women and affect heart rate regulation.
   

Lifestyle Factors  

• Emotions: Emotional factors, like stress, excitement, and anxiety, can influence normal resting heart rate.
• Smoking: Smoking is one of the key risk factors that contributes to severe heart diseases and other congenital conditions.
• Alcohol and Caffeine:Consuming alcohol or caffeine more than the desired limit can contribute to a faster heartbeat.
• Medications: Many women take thyroid medications or beta-blockers due to hormonal changes during menopause. These medicines can influence heart rate and can lead to potential side effects, like heart failure.
   

Which Heart Rhythm Conditions are Likely to Affect Women?

These are the arrhythmias and conditions that affect women and are less prevalent in men.

• Long QT Syndrome:In this condition, your heart takes more time to send electrical signals through the ventricles (lower heart chambers). LQTS types 1 and 2 affect women more. 
• Atrial Tachycardia: Irregular, fast heart rhythm that affects the atria, which are the upper chambers of the heart.
• Sick Sinus Syndrome: This condition occurs when the sinoatrial (SA) node does not function properly. The SA node sends signals to the atrial chambers to contract, which occurs properly in normal conditions.
• Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (RVOT): It is a type of critical condition in which the ventricles twitch instead of pumping properly.    
   

Faster heartbeats are generally common during or after physical activities. However, persistent arrhythmias or heart conditions need urgent medical attention.

Also Read:

→ What is a Dangerous Heart Rate

→ What is a Pacemaker of the Heart

→ What is CPR

→ What is Heart Failure

→ What is the Procedure for Angioplasty