Researchers from China found that people with a higher resting heart rate or pulse have increased risks of death stemming from all causes. The study does not establish the pulse as a risk factor but suggests it is an indicator of poor health.
The research team analyzed 46 individual studies that covers 1,246,203 participants. Researchers found that a 10-beat-per-minute elevation in the pulse increases mortality risk from all causes by 9 percent. The same change also increases mortality risk from cardiovascular disease by 8 percent.
The team also found that people with a resting heart rate of more than 80 beats per minute have a 45 percent increased risk for death from all causes. This is in direct comparison to people whose hearts beat between 60 to 80 times per minute at rest, and whose all-cause mortality risk is elevated by 21 percent.
A 100-beats-per-minute pulse is a condition called tachycardia, which is an indicator of grave heart problems. A rapid heart rate also substantially increases the risk of dying from heart disease.
"The association of resting heart rate with risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality is independent of traditional risk factors of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that resting heart rate is a predictor of mortality in the general population," said Dr. Dongfeng Zhang, from the Qingdao University in Shandong. Zhang, who led the research, is from the university's epidemiology department.
Cardiology professor Dr. Gregg Fonarow from the University of California, Los Angeles added that more studies are required to confirm if there is a substantial impact in predicting risk of death using a person's resting heart rate. It wasn't clear whether a higher pulse rate is an indication of heart disease or poor physical fitness. Additional research is needed to see if interventions aimed at lowering the resting heart rate can lead to improved outcomes such as reduced pulse-related mortality risks.
The team stressed that their study findings highlight the importance of monitoring the pulse and the significance of exercise to decrease the resting heart rate. The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Nov. 23.
