Q: I exercise regularly and consider myself fit, but my resting heart rate is on the high end—about 80 beats per minute. Should I be concerned?
A: Not necessarily. Your resting heart rate is higher than the average rate of 70 to 75 beats per minute (bpm) for a typical woman with no cardiac issues, but you are still within the normal range of 60 to 100 bpm. Do not be unduly alarmed by studies showing that higher resting heart rates correlate to an increased risk of dying, since the greatest risk is to those with a resting heart rate above 100 bpm. Regular aerobic exercise performed at the proper intensity can help lower a person’s resting heart rate, but other issues also influence resting heart rate, including genetics, stress, anxiety and dehydration. If your resting heart rate has always been around 80 bpm, and you are conscientious about exercising and have not developed any new cardiac risk factors, then 80 bpm is what’s normal for you.
Do alert your doctor, however, if your resting heart rate increases or if you develop new symptoms (breathlessness, light-headedness, chest pain, palpitations) that might suggest cardiac problems. You may be advised to undergo a stress test, which usually involves walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike at increasing levels of difficulty while your heart rate and blood pressure are monitored…or to wear a special heart monitor for 24 hours or more. Such testing allows your doctor to see whether your heart behaves the way it would be expected to under various circumstances.
