Primary Care
Believe in Better Health Toolkit
Determining Your Heart Rate
Definitions:
Resting Heart Rate (RHR)A full one-minute count of the pulse, usually taken at the wrist by the patient after a long rest or upon waking in the morning. It is important that the patient awaken naturally, not waking up with an alarm clock. While lying in bed, the patient counts the number of heartbeats for one full minute and records. This is done for three consecutive days and the average is taken. This is the “resting heart rate.” |
Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)The difference between your maximum heart rate and resting heart rate. |
Maximum Heart Rate (MRR)The highest heart rate you can achieve in an all-out effort to exhaustion. Maximum heat rate declines with age and can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220. |
Example
Patient is 40 years old and had a resting heart rate of
72 beats per minute.
What is the working heart range?
220 – 40
= 180
180 – 72 = 108 (HRR)
108 x .5 = 54
108 x .8 = 86.4
54 + 72 = 126 min working heart rate
86.4 + 72 = 158.4 max
This patient should strive to work out
between 126 and 158 beats per minute
during the work out
portion of his/her cardiovascular exercise program.
The Formula
( * patient must know their resting heart rate.* )
220 – age
= Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
MHR – RHR = Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
[HRR x 50%] + RHR
= Minimum working heart rate
[HRR x 80%] + RHR = Maximum working heart rate
If patient does not know their resting heart rate, use the following formula:
Estimated Heart Rate
220 – age = maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
MHR x 50% = minimum working heart rate
MHR x 85% = maximum working heart rateExample
Patient is 40 years old, doesn’t know resting heart rate. What is the working heart rate range?
220 – 40 = 180
180 x 50% = 90 minimum working heart rate
180 x 85% = 153 maximum working heart rate
Source: Center for Lifetime Wellness, University of Rochester
Medical Center, 2003.
The
University of Rochester Medical Center’s
commitment to help Rochester
become America’s healthiest community
by 2020
(complete index of Believe in Better Health Toolkit files offered on this Web site with links to printable versions)