Is it normal for a 34-year-old female to have a heart rate of 108 to 112 all the time?

Thank you for your interesting question. The normal range for heart rate in adults is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. If you are in excellent shape, your heart rate may run a bit slower at rest (between 45 to 60 beats per minute).

I am assuming that you are otherwise healthy without other medical diseases. Although there are a few people who may have heart rates in that range of 108 to 112 and still be normal, this finding would certainly deserve an complete evaluation as there are specific disease states that can lead to a resting tachycardia (rapid heart rate). After a thorough history to elicit other symptoms or clues to rule out hormonal problems, tumors, or abnormal heart rhythms, a clinical exam could help validate a clinical suspicion of cardiac disease or other causes.

A series of tests would be in order to further exclude specific hormonal imbalance -– such as, thyroid function tests, adrenalin producing tumors, or other substance producing tumors. An echocardiogram to look at the heart structure and function to exclude structural heart disease that can present with a rapid heart rate may also be in order. An electrocardiogram to evaluate heart rhythms might also be helpful. Although a specific diagnosis may not be apparent even after a thorough evaluation, sometimes the heart rate may slow over time or at least be monitored to see if a cause presents itself later.

Please let us know how it goes. We definitely want to help.

Dr. Fung

-- Gordon Fung, MD, MPH, is a cardiologist and associate clinical professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center at Mt. Zion.

Last updated July 27, 2009
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