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Is a Resting Heart Rate of 80 Beats Per Minute Bad?

Resting heart rate is a medical term which means the rate at which the natural pacemaker of your heart i.e., sinus node is capable to pump the minimum amount of blood that you need to perform your day to day activities. Whenever anyone talks about heart rate, it mainly refers to resting heart rate. However, it is said that the heart rate of a person in normal condition remains 60-100 beat per minute. The biggest question that most people have in their mind is whether having resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute is bad for health or normal.

Is a resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute bad? To answer this question, it is important to understand the variations and importance of resting heart rate. Different people may have varying resting heart rate based on their age and activity levels. Athletes normally have a lower resting heart rate while a baby has a greater heart rate. In case of adults, the concern is more when there are any associated health problems or complaints that need attention.

Resting heart rate has gained popularity as a parameter to indicate heart health and overall health of a person. Several studies have found that increased heart rate could increase the risk of heart diseases, thus making it one of the risk factors for cardiac problems.¹

As per a research published in Canadian Medical Association Journal scientists have found a way to predict health of a person and the possibility of cardiac problems. According to this research, it is found that the resting heart rate is an independent predictor of coronary artery disease, stroke and sudden death.²

Here are the common normal resting heart rates according to the age of a person:

A newborn baby whose age is below 1 month: 70-190 beat per minute.
A baby whose age is between 1 to 11 months: 80-169 beat per minute.
A child whose age is between 1 to 2 years: 80-130 beat per minute.
A child whose age is between 3 to 4 years: 80-120 beat per minute.
A child whose age is between 5 to 6 years: 75-115 beat per minute.
A child whose age is between 7 to 9 years: 70-110 beat per minute.
Youth whose age is between 10 to 18 years: 60-90 beat per minute.
A person whose age is above 18 years: 55-80 beat per minute.

It is found that the average resting heart rate of a well-trained athlete is 40-60 beat per minute. Studies have suggested that lower the resting heart rate of a person is the higher are the chances of having a healthy heart. Thus, lower resting heart rate increases the chances of the longevity of a person.

Recent studies have concluded that if the resting heart rate remains more than 80 beats per minute then those people are at greater risk of heart diseases. A study reports that patients with resting heart rate more than 80 per minute had double chances of developing ischemia than patients with heart rate less than 60 per minute.3

Thus, it clearly means that heart rate greater than 80 per minute can increase a person’s risk of suffering from myocardial infarction.

Conclusion

Coming back to the question, is a resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute bad? While a lower heart rate may point towards good health, a higher heart rate can be a warning sign for heart diseases and illnesses. Based on recent studies, it is not a good sign if the resting heart rate of a person remains more than 80 beats per minute. It increases the threat of other complications and even early death.

If your resting heart rate always remains more than 80 beats per minute it is always advisable to seek medical advice for timely diagnosis and proper treatment. For most, having a higher resting heart rate may not cause any trouble, however, regular medical check-ups can help prevent complications. Additionally, you should also change your lifestyle and avoid recreational drugs, stressful situations, alcohol, etc. and maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy food and do regular exercise which will certainly help you to decrease the resting heart rate.

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Is a Resting Heart Rate of 80 Beats Per Minute Bad?