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What Does A Heart Rate Of 108 Indicate?
Question: I'm 44 year old woman, 20 lbs over weight, cholesterol and blood pressure is literally perfect but my heart rate is 108?
I'm going to see an electrophysiologist, but I'm curious as to what might be the reason for this?
My iron levels are low, but everything else checks out
My life is fairly stressful, but I'm not sure if stress can be the reason for the high heat rate?
I'm going to see an electrophysiologist, but I'm curious as to what might be the reason for this?
My iron levels are low, but everything else checks out
My life is fairly stressful, but I'm not sure if stress can be the reason for the high heat rate?
Brief Answer:
Stress is the most common causative factor for heart diseases
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. High levels of stress on a daily basis and almost throughout the day is one of the most common cause for heart diseases. High levels of stress can start off by affecting your blood pressure and heart rate, and with this constant rise the heart starts taking a toll resulting in heart diseases.
So it is but obvious that your stress levels are indeed above the normal daily limit and is what is causing your abnormal heart rate reading. Was your blood pressure measured? And if yes, was it measured at least 3 times, during different stages of the day?
If not, then please get your blood pressure checked at different timings of the day (e.g. after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner). If your blood pressure was measured in this manner, then please do share the readings with me.
I look forward to hearing from you in order to helping you further. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Stress is the most common causative factor for heart diseases
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. High levels of stress on a daily basis and almost throughout the day is one of the most common cause for heart diseases. High levels of stress can start off by affecting your blood pressure and heart rate, and with this constant rise the heart starts taking a toll resulting in heart diseases.
So it is but obvious that your stress levels are indeed above the normal daily limit and is what is causing your abnormal heart rate reading. Was your blood pressure measured? And if yes, was it measured at least 3 times, during different stages of the day?
If not, then please get your blood pressure checked at different timings of the day (e.g. after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner). If your blood pressure was measured in this manner, then please do share the readings with me.
I look forward to hearing from you in order to helping you further. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My blood pressure was monitored over a two week period throughout the day, and stayed within a normal range throughout - I'm a fairly 120/80 gal.
I should mention that prior to my initial visit when my heart rate was measured at 108, I had experienced numbness or tingling in my extremities (all) and my hands curled up into fists? My hands released after about 15 min -while relaxing and having some water and a granola bar. I still felt odd and my legs were still tingling for about an hour.
I understand how dibilitating stress can be and what it can do to the body as a whole, but I'm still wondering out of curiosity if their can also be a correlation with the low level of iron (5.4) tested?
What tests can be done to determine beyond stress what may be causing the high heart rate and what can be done to regulate it outside of eliminating stress and resting?
Thank you, I understand this is not a diagnosis, I'm just looking for a direction on what steps to take to more accurately determine the cause just in case it is more than stress? I'm prepared to request additional testing and pay for it out of pocket with concierge care, I would just prefer to rule everything out without having to continually wait for test after test to be done because nothing has changed over the last several years in regards to my lifestyle and overall health, with the exception of my lower level of iron and this event seems incongruous with the rest of the facts
I should mention that prior to my initial visit when my heart rate was measured at 108, I had experienced numbness or tingling in my extremities (all) and my hands curled up into fists? My hands released after about 15 min -while relaxing and having some water and a granola bar. I still felt odd and my legs were still tingling for about an hour.
I understand how dibilitating stress can be and what it can do to the body as a whole, but I'm still wondering out of curiosity if their can also be a correlation with the low level of iron (5.4) tested?
What tests can be done to determine beyond stress what may be causing the high heart rate and what can be done to regulate it outside of eliminating stress and resting?
Thank you, I understand this is not a diagnosis, I'm just looking for a direction on what steps to take to more accurately determine the cause just in case it is more than stress? I'm prepared to request additional testing and pay for it out of pocket with concierge care, I would just prefer to rule everything out without having to continually wait for test after test to be done because nothing has changed over the last several years in regards to my lifestyle and overall health, with the exception of my lower level of iron and this event seems incongruous with the rest of the facts
Brief Answer:
My comments
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again.
You are actually right to suspect the iron deficiency in a way, because:
+Cold hands and feet
+Tingling sensation in the feet (usually resulting in a syndrome called Restless leg syndrome)
are symptoms of iron deficiency. But, as for the clenched fist that you explained which released after consumption of a granoala bar and some water, in my opinion could be either stress/anxiety related or even just dehydration or low blood sugar (due to either a long gap between meals or poor nutrition).
As stress is a factor right now and is clearly present, the first approach would be to eliminate stress and then observe your heart rate. This can be done by medications (speak to your doctor about anti-anxiety medication) and also relaxation exercises (usually breathing and mental exercises). Once this is treated, if your heart rate improves then we have a clear and obvious cause that we are treating. If at all your heart rate remains elevated, then we will have to look into other causes.
I completely understand how you feel and would also encourage you to 'rule out' causes that are put forward, which is why I encourage you to first work towards treating the stress and then going ahead with suspecting other causes. This is how we work at the hospital, when we find a plausible cause we work towards eliminating/treating it before jumping onto other causes. Treat what is at hand, and if it does not solve the problem look deeper.
Please do not ever hesitate to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
My comments
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again.
You are actually right to suspect the iron deficiency in a way, because:
+Cold hands and feet
+Tingling sensation in the feet (usually resulting in a syndrome called Restless leg syndrome)
are symptoms of iron deficiency. But, as for the clenched fist that you explained which released after consumption of a granoala bar and some water, in my opinion could be either stress/anxiety related or even just dehydration or low blood sugar (due to either a long gap between meals or poor nutrition).
As stress is a factor right now and is clearly present, the first approach would be to eliminate stress and then observe your heart rate. This can be done by medications (speak to your doctor about anti-anxiety medication) and also relaxation exercises (usually breathing and mental exercises). Once this is treated, if your heart rate improves then we have a clear and obvious cause that we are treating. If at all your heart rate remains elevated, then we will have to look into other causes.
I completely understand how you feel and would also encourage you to 'rule out' causes that are put forward, which is why I encourage you to first work towards treating the stress and then going ahead with suspecting other causes. This is how we work at the hospital, when we find a plausible cause we work towards eliminating/treating it before jumping onto other causes. Treat what is at hand, and if it does not solve the problem look deeper.
Please do not ever hesitate to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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