Heart Health Report

Heart Health Report

              What is one of the quickest ways to get a snapshot of your overall health?  This may be a simple question, but unfortunately many people do not know this answer.  The easiest way to determine your overall health is to “know your heart rate”.  One can monitor their heart rate any time whether it is day or night.  So why know your heart rate?  Monitoring a heart rate can give you important information that can help control or prevent heart disease.  Studies show that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women causing 26% of all deaths in the United States which is 1 out of 4 overall.  Also, researchers studied 31,531 patients with heart disease for 56 months.  Those with the resting heart rates of more than 70 beats per minute had 41 to 58 percent greater risk of death. These deaths could potentially be cut in half if the public was more engaged in preventative health.  Physician Chauncey Crandall of the Preventive Cardiology Program at Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic says that 85% of cases he has seen of heart disease are linked to lifestyle decisions.  These lifestyle choices include diet, exercise, and stress levels that all impact ones overall health.

Age	Target Heart Rate Zone During Exercise (Beats Per Minute)	Maximum Heart Rate Threshold
40	108-144	180
45	105-140	175
50	102-136	170
55	99-132	165
60	99-128	160
65	93-124	155
70	90-120	150
75	87-116	145
80	84-112	140

                So how do we know if our lifestyle choices are affecting us?  Using a heart monitor can determine what kind of lifestyle we are living.  Owning a heart monitor takes all of the guesswork out of lifestyle impacts.  Using a heart monitor can determine how certain activities affect your life such as walking your dog, shoveling snow, or even golfing.  This method is much more effective than taking your pulse because taking ones pulse is not always 100% accurate.  Engaging in a regular exercise program can improve your health.  Before starting a new exercise program, consult with your personal physician to determine what exercise fit your lifestyle the best.  Above is a list of how to monitor your heart rate during exercise.

**The general rule for determining your maximum heart rates during exercise is to subtract your age from 220.  When exercising, the target zone should be 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate.  Knowing this level will give the best results with the least risk of injury.

                Monitoring a resting heart rate is just as important as an exercise heart rate.  For adults, the resting heart rate should be somewhere between 60 and 80 beats per minute.  The best time for monitoring resting heart rate is first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed.  Constantly monitoring the resting heart rate will allow for someone to spot changes quickly.  For instance, changes in heart rate occur due to exercise regime, emotional state, and medication use.  There are many ways to lower your heart rate such as exercise, relaxing, staying hydrated, but it all starts with YOU!

*Credit given to Chauncey Grandall, M.D.