Elevated Heart Rate For A Teenage Girl, Active In Sports
Your question is a very good one and I will try to provide you with some information and recommendations regarding your daughter.
As far as the pulse is concerned in a female her age a resting pulse is usually running somewhere around 60 to 90 This can have a variation depending on baseline level of fitness. I think it is appropriate to continue to monitor her heart rate given the fact that it is relatively elevated in the area of 100 to 120.
Now we must consider possible causes for the fact that her heart rate is elevated. One cause would be some type of substance which he is exposed to which could be attributed to this. This includes such things as caffeine or some type of stimulant medication which would elevate the heart rate. You did not mention this so I am considering this to be a less likely factor.
Another possibility would be some type of dysfunction of her thyroid gland. This is something that her primary care provider can check for if the heart rate remains elevated within the next couple of weeks.
The last thing we must consider in a patient with an elevated heart rate is that the heart is not pumping blood effectively which causes it to increase its baseline rate. I really think that give her pulse is 120 at rest that she should have a further medical evaluation before participating in active sports.
I would encourage you to follow up with her primary care provider within the next week or so if you continue to notice that her heart rate is elevated.
I thank you again for submitting your question. I hope you have found my response to be both helpful and informative. If you have any additional concerns I would be happy to address them.
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert.