Definition
An increased heart rate means that the heart beats too fast or too frequently, i.e. it exceeds the usual (physiological) heart rate. Physiological heart rate varies with age, but should be between 60-80 beats per minute for adults. Frequencies between in the upper range of the physiological heart rate are already poor, but tachycardia is only seen from 100 beats per minute and from frequencies of 150 beats per minute on, one speaks of a pronounced tachycardia.
Symptoms
With increased pulse rates, the heart is no longer able to pump sufficient blood with oxygen into the body’s circulation. This is why symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or drowsiness occur. In rare cases, a brief fainting may occur.
In addition, the patient may complain of shortness of breath or weakness (reduced resilience) with an increased pulse rate. In addition, a fluttering in the chest or a heart stumbling that can be felt up to the neck is also noticeable. A sudden tachycardia is often reported, which begins suddenly and also ends abruptly, regardless of certain situations, both at rest and after physical exertion.
This benign form of tachycardia usually disappears on its own. Nevertheless, such attacks should also be clarified by a doctor, as they can be dangerous for the person affected, depending on the situation in which they occur (operating machines, driving a car). You should also consult your doctor if the increased pulse does not go away on its own, if pressure on the chest and shortness of breath, as well as shortness of breath occur and the chest pain worsens.
Causes
An elevated heart rate does not always have to have a high disease value. Strong emotions such as joy, excitement or fear can also increase the pulse rate. Similarly, an elevated pulse rate can occur after sports or other physically strenuous activities.
Other causes of an increased pulse rate should be described in the following. In most cases, an increased pulse is caused by the heart, since the heart muscle controls the heart rate by contracting the cells of the heart muscle. There are certain regions of the heart, such as the so-called sinus node in the right atrium, which act like a pacemaker and stimulate the heart muscle cells at a certain frequency (physiologically: 60-80 beats per minute).
If there is insufficient blood supply to the heart or if there are disturbances in the sinus node, increased frequencies can occur. In the following, some diseases of the heart that lead to increased pulse rates will be presented. As already mentioned, the sinus node is responsible for the heart rate.
If it works too fast, as in the case of fever or anxiety, an increased pulse is produced, which in this case is called sinus tachycardia (>100 beats/minute). Like sinus tachycardia, atrial flutter/flicker originates in the atria. Here, the electrical stimulation of the atria is disordered and therefore the muscles of the atria flutter or flicker.
In this clinical picture, there is not only an increased pulse, but also an irregular pulse. In contrast to ventricular flutter or fibrillation, atrial flutter/fibrillation is not life-threatening and may even go unnoticed. Ventricular flutter or fibrillation poses an acute danger to the affected person because the rapid contractions of the large chambers of the heart no longer pump enough blood effectively into the body’s circulation, which can cause the patient to lose consciousness or suffer respiratory and circulatory arrest.
Ventricular fibrillation can be caused by ventricular tachycardia, i.e. a rapid heartbeat emanating from the ventricles. Overall, the heart also beats faster and less efficiently. A further cause of an increased pulse rate can be the transfer of impulses from the atria to the ventricles.
First of all, AV node reentry tachycardia should be mentioned here, which is not one of the dangerous forms of an increased pulse. In this clinical picture, circular excitation between atria and ventricles occurs, which increases the pulse rate and often manifests itself in sudden but reversible tachycardia. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is also a congenital conduction disorder in which there is an additional conduction between the atria and the ventricles.
This anomaly can also go unnoticed for a long time and is not treated if no symptoms are present. Complaints manifest themselves in strong and sudden palpitations, which can even lead to unconsciousness. In this case there is an indication for therapy.
Heart rhythm disturbances can also be the cause of an increased pulse rate.There are many different types of cardiac dysrhythmia that should be examined by a doctor and some require treatment. Furthermore, the effects of coronary artery disease or a heart attack, namely a lack of blood flow to the heart, can affect the conduction of the heart’s electrical impulses and thus lead to increased heart rate. In addition, high blood pressure promotes the development of tachycardia.
But not all forms of elevated pulse are associated with heart disease. Hormonal fluctuations, such as hyperthyroidism or during menopause in women, also accelerate the heartbeat and thus the pulse. Anaemia can also lead to an increased pulse rate.
This anemia can be caused by a large loss of blood as a result of a serious injury, in which case the heart beats particularly fast due to the shock, or by malnutrition, blood formation disorders or similar. In the latter case, the increased pulse rate is caused by a regulatory mechanism of the body through which the body tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen through increased blood ejection. Elevated heart rate also occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) blocks an artery in the lung (pulmonary embolism) or in cases of poisoning by fungi, drugs, medicines, narcotics (including nicotine and caffeine).
The most commonly summarized circulatory problems are reduced blood flow to the brain, which can lead to fainting in the worst case. Often, however, this complete breakdown of the circulation can still be prevented and the affected person experiences sudden dizziness, a brief feeling of weakness and a restricted field of vision. To prevent this condition from developing in the first place, normal blood pressure is able to pump the blood into the head even when standing.
Since a certain blood flow volume per time results from the blood pressure and beat frequency of the heart, the pulse has a compensatory function if the blood pressure is not high enough to reach the required volume. Put simply, this means The body notices that the supply to the brain is insufficient. However, it is also unable to raise blood pressure as quickly and therefore tries to provide the required blood volume by compensatory means via an increased heart rate.
During sports, the heart rate automatically increases because the heart has to beat faster in order to supply the working muscles with sufficient oxygen and nutrients and to transport away the waste products. The musculature is increasingly supplied with blood and thus enables a more effective performance. It is quite normal that the pulse rate remains elevated for a while after exercise.
This is because the body remains in its “activity mode” for a while and only gradually returns to a state of rest. If he notices that the muscles are no longer being used so much, he reduces their blood flow and the heart rate drops again. In people who regularly do endurance sports, it can be observed that although the pulse rate increases significantly during exercise, it is usually lower than the pulse rate of average active people in resting situations.
This is because the heart increases in size during regular physical activity and can therefore transport more blood volume in one heartbeat than the heart of a normally active person. At rest, therefore, a lower heart rate is sufficient to pump sufficient blood into the organism. Of course, the high heart rate can also lead more easily to cardiac arrhythmia during sports.
If tachycardia or an irregular pulse occurs during or after sport, a medical examination is recommended to rule out serious causes. An elevated pulse is not necessarily the same as tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), since by definition tachycardia is only present from a value of more than one hundred beats per minute. But even a pulse of more than 80 beats per minute can be considered an increased pulse.
Typical diseases that cause an increased pulse rate are either hyperthyroidism, hyperthyroidism or a heart defect. The hyperthyroidism becomes noticeable by a generally increased metabolism. The clock of the heartbeat is additionally stimulated and thus increases the beat rate.
“Heart defects” that cause an increased pulse rate are, for example, weakness of the heart muscle or various forms of heart valve defects. In both cases, the heart does not manage to pump the required volume per beat, so it is forced to increase the beat rate to achieve the required flow rate.Furthermore, cardiac arrhythmia could be responsible for an increased pulse rate. However, the frequency is usually faster than 100 beats per minute.
In such cases, the person affected usually feels a kind of heart stumble himself. An increased pulse during the night is associated with an illness value, because physiologically the pulse should lower when the person comes to rest. Awake from nightmares can cause an increase in pulse rate, but if no concrete reason can be identified, a medical examination should be performed.
Depending on the underlying disease, the pulse rate may be higher or lower. If, for example, there is heart failure (weakness of the heart) or cardiomyopathy, the pulse is elevated, but does not yet turn into tachycardia. If, on the other hand, the heart rhythm is actually disturbed, the pulse is generally higher than one hundred beats per minute, even at night, and should be checked with a doctor as soon as possible in order to keep the complication rate as low as possible.
Stress also leads to an increase in the pulse rate via a messenger substance, the hormone adrenaline. This is an evolutionary remnant from past times. As catecholamine, adrenaline increases the heart rate and blood pressure.
For a short-term reaction, the release of adrenaline through stress is an essential response of the body. A permanently increased stress, however, works via the hormone cortisol which develops a disease value if the blood level is permanently increased. It is assumed that an increased cortisol level is associated with a greater risk of arteriosclerosis and thus a greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Alcohol affects the body and the metabolic processes in many different ways. Some mechanisms are still not fully understood today. However, it is striking that many people report an increased heart rate or even heart rhythm disturbances after alcohol consumption.
For example, even young people with a healthy heart can develop the so-called Holiday Heart Syndrome after moderate to heavy alcohol consumption, in which they suddenly develop atrial fibrillation and are therefore often taken to hospital. The rhythm disturbances usually disappear on their own. Alcohol presumably influences the cardiovascular system in such a way that it leads to increased heart work (high pulse) and thus to increased blood pressure.
The body is put under stress, so to speak, and reacts with increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which is generally active in stress and activity situations. At the same time, it is assumed that the opponent of the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, is attenuated and thus its inhibitory effect on the cardiovascular system is reduced. These mechanisms could explain the increased pulse rate after alcohol consumption.
Another explanation refers to the vasodilatory effect of alcohol. Because alcohol dilates the vessels, the heart reacts by increasing the heart rate to maintain the blood supply to the organs. In dilated vessels the blood sinks and the heart has to perform at an increased rate to maintain circulation.
Fortunately, the heart rate usually returns to normal quickly once alcohol consumption is stopped and the body can break down the alcohol. The pulse-increasing effect of coffee is due to its ingredient, caffeine. Caffeine is a substance with a mildly stimulating effect and is considered by physicians to be an addictive substance because it fulfills all the criteria of an addictive substance.
In addition to increasing blood pressure, caffeine also causes an increase in heart rate. Depending on the dose of caffeine ingested, it can even lead to cardiac arrhythmia. After consumption, the maximum effect of caffeine is reached after about 20 minutes, which explains why the pulse and blood pressure increase only starts after the consumption of coffee.
The effect lasts thereby altogether approx. two hours, so that it concerns with the pulse increase after coffee consumption a fast reversible pulse increase. Fever is naturally accompanied by an increase of the pulse.
For every degree Celsius that the fever rises, the pulse increases by an average of ten beats per minute. Accordingly, the higher the fever, the faster the heartbeat. This can be explained by the fact that the increased body temperature leads to a dilatation of the blood vessels, which want to release the excess heat into the environment through the skin.
However, the dilated blood vessels cause the blood to clog up and blood pressure to drop. In dilated vessels, the blood flow is correspondingly slowed down.In order to be able to ensure an adequate supply of the various organs and tissues, the body must increase the heart rate. In this way the circulation of the blood volume is improved again.
The higher the fever, the more pronounced the dilatation of the blood vessels and the higher the heartbeat required to ensure efficient blood supply to all organs. Accordingly, an increased pulse rate in feverish patients is no cause for concern. On the contrary, it even helps the patient to continue to receive optimal care for his or her body.
An increased pulse rate during a cold or infection is nothing unusual and is highly physiological, especially in connection with fever. However, while a harmless flu-like effect should only involve a few strokes, the pulse rate can already be significantly elevated in the case of fever. On the one hand, this is related to the body’s defensive reaction.
The immune system or the body’s defense cells need energy, which they receive with the help of oxygen. To ensure this increased oxygen supply, the heart pumps more often to generate a greater blood flow. With fever, there is another variable in addition to this.
Namely the changed core body temperature. Since this is raised in a fever, the body tries to “heat up” the body by increasing blood transport. However, even in such a case, the pulse rate should not degenerate into tachycardia (palpitations), but should be about twenty to a maximum of thirty beats per minute above the normal resting pulse rate.
If this is no longer the case, a doctor should be consulted. Typical causes for a pulse rate that is higher than the normal value can be so-called hyperthyroidism, also known as hyperthyroidism. This can have various causes, ranging from an autoimmune disease, Graves’ disease, to pituitary adenoma.
In most cases, however, it is not known exactly where the hyperthyroidism comes from, so it has no real disease value. The thyroid hormones have an effect on the autonomic nervous system and provide a general increase in drive. Persons with hyperthyroidism, for example, have a higher calorie turnover, a greater urge to move, can cope with less sleep and also a higher resting pulse rate.
During pregnancy, the pulse rate naturally increases by about ten beats per minute. The cause for this is one of the numerous adaptation mechanisms of the maternal body to the pregnancy. The growing child must be well supplied with maternal blood so that it receives sufficient nutrients for its growth.
Increased blood flow to the uterus is essential for this. Therefore the mother’s blood volume also increases. As a result of the increase in heart rate, the blood can circulate more strongly in the organism and supply the uterus and the child.
Accordingly, a certain increase in heart rate is normal during pregnancy. However, if the pulse rate is permanently very much increased, this can be unfavorable or even dangerous for mother and child. Normally, the pulse rate only increases by about ten beats per minute during pregnancy; it is then usually not more than 100 beats per minute.
A constant increase of the pulse rate significantly above 100 beats per minute should possibly be clarified by a doctor. If the pulse rate is constantly very high, the pumping capacity of the mother’s heart can become worse, so that her body and therefore also that of the baby is no longer optimally supplied with nutrients and oxygen. This can have undesirable consequences and lead to a lack of supply for the baby.
The increase in the pulse rate during pregnancy is quite common in both single and twin pregnancies. There is no evidence that it occurs significantly more frequently in twin pregnancies. Of course, it is also true for twins that they can be undersupplied by a permanently too much increased pulse of the mother.
Since twins are often born smaller than single babies anyway because they have to share the space in the uterus with their twin, this can become a danger for these children more quickly. If a medical examination has been carried out and there is no serious cause for the pulse rate increase, a ban on employment can be considered in serious cases and depending on the work situation of the pregnant woman. However, such a ban will only be issued if there is a real danger to the mother and/or child if the pregnant woman continues her work.If the pulse rate increase can be controlled by general measures or medication that is tolerated during pregnancy, a ban on employment can usually be dispensed with.
During the menopause the body undergoes major hormonal changes. As a result, many women experience unpleasant side effects such as hot flushes with sweating, restlessness and sleep disorders. An increased pulse rate can also be part of this, as the hormonal changes also affect the autonomic nervous system.
This consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. While the parasympathetic nervous system is mainly active in resting situations, the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for controlling the organism during activity. The increase in heart rate and blood circulation, sweating and restlessness are therefore due to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system.
Since it may take some time for the body to fully adapt to the new hormonal situation, recurrent increased pulse rates are not unusual. However, if the pulse rate is permanently in the increased range (over 100 beats per minute) without calming down in the meantime and if there are even rhythm irregularities, the symptoms should be clarified by a doctor. By writing an ECG, a first classification of the fast pulse rate or a rhythm disturbance can usually be made.
If the woman is disturbed by her elevated pulse during menopause, this unfortunately additionally promotes the high pulse rate, since excitement contributes to an increased heart rate. It is therefore important to remain calm and to consult a doctor as a precaution in case of great concern. This way the fears can usually be eliminated quickly.
According to a company that sells measuring technology for monitoring women’s cycles, there is a significant increase in heart rate just before ovulation, i.e. immediately before a woman’s fertile days. Otherwise, little is known in professional circles about the connection between the pulse and the female cycle. According to the company’s study, which was also conducted independently by the company, the increase in estradiol in the blood could be the reason for this.
However, no causal relationships were investigated. Overall, however, the results must be considered under the understanding that the company had an interest in finding a significantly increased pulse in the study. So it is not really possible to answer whether there is really a physiological increase in heart rate before ovulation.
Almost anything can fall under the psychosomatic causes of an increased heart rate, whereby stress is probably by far the most common cause. Due to the released cortisol, the body, which now sees itself in a “dangerous situation”, automatically activates the so-called sympathetic nervous system and thereby also increases the pulse rate. But also other psychosomatic illnesses are often accompanied by so-called vegetative symptoms.
Somatization disorders or hypochondriac disorders are also known to occur. While somatization disorders are characterized by the fact that almost every organ system can be affected, hypochondriac disorders are characterized by the fear of suffering from a dangerous disease. This fear, in turn, causes the pulse rate to rise via the release of cortisol.
An increased pulse after eating can have various causes:
- The cause is particularly frequent in the consumption of caffeinated beverages with food. Caffeine activates the cardiovascular system and increases the heart rate.
- However, a fast pulse after eating can also occur in underlying diseases, for example diabetes or after various intestinal operations.
- In these cases, the chyme that enters the intestines removes fluid from the body, so that the heart rate is increased compensatorily to ensure the blood supply to the organs.
- Particularly with older humans the rising pulse after the meal can be caused also by the redistribution of the blood following a meal. During digestion, the body increasingly distributes its blood into the gastrointestinal tract in order to quickly absorb nutrients from food.
As a result, the blood pressure in the systemic circulation can decrease and the heart subsequently increases the beat rate to compensate for the “lack” of blood in other parts of the body.
- If the affected person additionally concentrates on a possible accelerated heartbeat, this usually leads to an increase in the pulse rate, since the autonomic nervous system reacts to the patient’s concern.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to formulate an incontrovertible connection between an increased pulse and bowel movement.Although some people with thyroid diseases report such phenomena, a feeling of almost collapsing circulation is still mixed in. In addition, a pulse increase due to conscious muscle tension would be possible. When the bowel movement starts to press, we have the possibility to actively tense the occlusive muscle of the anus in order to avoid premature leakage of the stool.
Due to this muscle contraction, but possibly also due to the slight stress it causes, a pulse increase could occur immediately before defecation. The back pain typical in everyday life is usually not combined with a higher pulse rate, but only causes a slight pain, which does not result in a significant increase in the frequency of bowel movements. An increase in pulse rate, on the other hand, is caused by the more serious acute diseases.
For example, a pulmonary embolism or a heart attack can cause back pain in addition to shortness of breath and a significantly accelerated pulse. The origin of this pain is then neither the spinal column nor the back muscles, but a projected pain that originates from an internal organ and manifests itself in the back. While “normal” back pain originates in the spine or the muscles, back pain in combination with tachycardia is usually not motion-dependent and is often the symptom of a serious, acute illness.
Histamine intolerance is due to the potential lack of two enzymes in the body that serve to break down histamine. The lack of these enzymes can lead to an imbalance between the absorption and degradation of histamine in the body, which is then shifted to the side of absorption. If sufficient or too much histamine has accumulated, symptoms similar to those of an allergic reaction occur in the body.
In addition to the formation of wheals and the so-called hives, there is then also tachycardia, an increase in blood pressure and swelling of body regions. Histamine intolerance is not seen as an independent allergy, but can occur in combination with allergies.
- Symptoms of histamine intolerance
- How to test a histamine intolerance?
