How Is Your Heart Rate?
May 4, 2009
It’s pretty well-established for men that higher heart rates are associated with a higher risk for heart attack,” according to a report published 02/04/09 in the online issue of the British Medical Journal. Until now, that data has been missing for women, but this research indicates that a higher resting heart rate can raise the chances of a heart attack in middle-aged women too.
According to the article, heart rate doesn’t seem to matter in younger women. But a higher heart rate in a woman over 50 would indicate a need for lifestyle modifications needed to prevent cardiovascular problems — a low-fat diet, lower blood pressure, avoiding obesity and more physical activity.
When you exercise, you increase the tone of the autonomic nervous system, which causes a decrease in heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure.
The autonomic nervous system controls such basic body functions as blood pressure and digestion. According to the report, exercise is the most potent medication they have found for improving autonomic nervous system function. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City said, “If we say that exercise is essential, we know why a lower resting heart rate leads to a better outcome.”
According to the article, heart rate doesn’t seem to matter in younger women. But a higher heart rate in a woman over 50 would indicate a need for lifestyle modifications needed to prevent cardiovascular problems — a low-fat diet, lower blood pressure, avoiding obesity and more physical activity.
When you exercise, you increase the tone of the autonomic nervous system, which causes a decrease in heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure.
The autonomic nervous system controls such basic body functions as blood pressure and digestion. According to the report, exercise is the most potent medication they have found for improving autonomic nervous system function. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City said, “If we say that exercise is essential, we know why a lower resting heart rate leads to a better outcome.”
At the same time, wouldn’t a properly functioning nervous system be the logical first step? Of course!
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