What is Heart (pulse) Rate?
Heart rate is determined by the number of heartbeats per unit of time, typically expressed as beats per minute (BPM), it can vary with as the body's need for oxygen changes, such as during exercise or sleep. The measurement of heart rate is used by medical professionals to assist in the diagnosis and tracking of medical conditions. It is also used by individuals, such as athletes, who are interested in monitoring their heart rate to gain maximum efficiency from their training.
Heart rate is measured by finding the pulse of the body. This pulse rate can be measured at any point on the body where an artery's pulsation is transmitted to the surface - often as it is compressed against an underlying structure like bone - by pressuring it with the index and middle finger. The thumb should not be used for measuring another person's heart rate, as its strong pulse may interfere with discriminating the site of pulsation Some commonly palpated sites include:
The ventral aspect of the wrist on the side of the thumb (radial artery)
- The ulnar artery
- The neck (carotid artery),
- The inside of the elbow, or under the biceps muscle (brachial artery)
- The groin (femoral artery)
- Behind the medial malleolus on the feet (posterior tibial artery)
- Middle of dorsum of the foot (dorsalis pedis).
- Behind the knee (popliteal artery)
- Over the abdomen (abdominal aorta)
- The chest (aorta), which can be felt with one's hand or fingers. However, it is possible to auscultate the heart using a stethoscope.
- The temple
- The lateral edge of the mandible
A more precise method of determining pulse involves the use of an electrocardiograph, or ECG (also abbreviated EKG). Continuous electrocardiograph monitoring of the heart is routinely done in many clinical settings, especially in critical care medicine. Commercial heart rate monitors are also available, consisting of a chest strap with electrodes. The signal is transmitted to a wrist receiver for display. Heart rate monitors allow accurate measurements to be taken continuously and can be used during exercise when manual measurement would be difficult or impossible (such as when the hands are being used).
Measuring HRmax
The most accurate way of measuring HRmax for an individual is via a cardiac stress test. In such a test, the subject exercises while being monitored by an EKG. During the test, the intensity of exercise is periodically increased (if a treadmill is being used, through increase in speed or slope of the treadmill), or until certain changes in heart function are detected in the EKG, at which point the subject is directed to stop. Typical durations of such a test range from 10 to 20 minutes.
Conducting a maximal exercise test can require expensive equipment. If you are just beginning an exercise regimen, you should only perform this test in the presence of medical staff due to risks associated with high heart rates. Instead, people typically use a formula to estimate their individual Maximum Heart Rate.
Formula for HRmax
Various formulas are used to estimate individual Maximum Heart Rates, based on age, but maximum heart rates vary significantly between individuals.
Even within a single elite sports team, such as Olympic rowers in their 20s, maximum heart rates can vary from 160 to 220. It gained widespread use through being used by Polar Electro in its heart rate monitors,)
These figures are very much averages, and depend greatly on individual physiology and fitness. For example an endurance runner's rates will typically be lower due to the increased size of the heart required to support the exercise, while a sprinter's rates will be higher due to the improved response time and short duration., etc. may each have predicted heart rates of 180 (= 220-Age), but these two people could have actual Max HR 20 beats apart (e.g. 170-190).
Further, note that individuals of the same age, the same training, in the same sport, on the same team, can have actual Max HR 60 bpm apart (160 to 220):
Training regimes sometimes use recovery heart rate as a guide of progress and to spot problems such as overheating or dehydration . After even short periods of hard exercise it can take a long time (about 30 minutes) for the heart rate to drop to rested levels.
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Heart-Rate.aspx
Respiratory rate
 | Look up Respiratory rate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Respiratory rate (Vf, Rf or RR) is also known by respiration rate, pulmonary ventilation rate, ventilation rate, or breathing frequency is the number of breaths taken within a set amount of time, typically 60 seconds. A normal respiratory rate is termed eupnea, an increased respiratory rate is termed tachypnea and a lower than normal respiratory rate is termed bradypnea.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Measurement
Human respiration rate is measured when a person is at rest and involves counting the number of breaths for one minute by counting how many times the chest rises. Respiration rates may increase with fever, illness, or other medical conditions. When checking respiration, it is important to also note whether a person has any difficulty breathing.
Inaccuracies in respiratory measurement have been reported in the literature. One study compared respiratory rate counted using a 90 second count period, to a full minute, and found significant differences in the rates.[citation needed] Another study found that rapid respiratory rates in babies, counted using a stethoscope, were 60–80% higher than those counted from beside the cot without the aid of the stethoscope.[citation needed] Similar results are seen with animals when they are being handled and not being handled—the invasiveness of touch apparently is enough to make significant changes in breathing.
[edit] Normal range
Average respiratory rate reported in a healthy adult at rest is usually given as 12-18 breaths per minute (Vf) [1][2] but estimates do vary between sources, e.g., 12–20 breaths per minute, 10–14,[3] between 16–18,[4] etc. With such a slow rate, more accurate readings are obtained by counting the number of breaths over a full minute.
[edit] By Age
Average Respiratory Rates (Vf) By Age:
- Newborns: 30-40 breaths per minute
- Less Than 1 Year: 30-40 breaths per minute
- 1-3 Years: 23-35 breaths per minute
- 3-6 Years: 20-30 breaths per minute
- 6-12 Years: 18-26 breaths per minute
- 12-17 Years: 12-20 breaths per minute
- Adults Over 18: 12–20 breaths per minute.
[edit] Minute volume
Respiratory minute volume is the volume of air which can be inhaled (inhaled minute volume) or exhaled (exhaled minute volume) from a person's lungs in one minute.
[edit] Diagnostic value
The value of respiratory rate as an indicator of potential respiratory dysfunction has been investigated but findings suggest it is of limited value.
One study found that only 33% of people presenting to an emergency department with an oxygen saturation below 90% had an increased respiratory rate.[citation needed] An evaluation of respiratory rate for the differentiation of the severity of illness in babies under 6 months found it not to be very useful. Approximately half of the babies had a respiratory rate above 50 breaths per minute, thereby questioning the value of having a "cut-off" at 50 breaths per minute as the indicator of serious respiratory illness.
It has also been reported that factors such as crying, sleeping, agitation and age have a significant influence on the respiratory rate.[citation needed] As a result of these and similar studies the value of respiratory rate as an indicator of serious illness is limited.
[edit] Abnormal respiratory rates
- Apnea
- Dyspnea
- Hyperpnea
- Tachypnea
- Hypopnea
- Bradypnea
- Orthopnea
- Platypnea
- Biot's respiration
- Cheyne-Stokes respiration
- Kussmaul breathing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_rate
Normal Respiratory Rate and Ideal Breathing
Definition. Respiratory rate (also known as ventilation rate, respiration rate, breathing rate, pulmonary ventilation rate, breathing frequency, and respiratory frequency or Rf) = the number of breaths a person takes during one minute. It is usually measured at rest, while sitting.
Medical research suggests that respiratory rate is the marker of pulmonary dysfunction that gets progressively worse with advance of a large number of chronic health conditions. This website has scientific references related to increased respiratory rates for adults with cancer patients, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, COPD and many other conditions.
What is the normal respiratory rate?
Medical textbooks suggest that normal respiratory rate for adults is only 12 breaths per minute at rest. Older textbooks often provide even smaller values (e.g., 8-10 breaths per minute). Most modern adults breathe much faster (about 15-20 breaths per minute) than their normal respiratory rate. Respiratory rates in the sick are usually higher, generally about 20 breaths/min or more. This site has numerous studies that testify that respiratory rates in terminally sick people with cancer, HIV-AIDS, cystic fibrosis and other conditions is usually over 30 breaths/min.
Important note. You cannot define your own breathing rate by simply counting it. As soon as you try it, your breathing will be more deep and slow. You can ask other people to count it, when you are unaware about your breathing, or you can record your breathing using sensitive microphones fixed near your nose at night or when you sit quietly and busy with some other activities. It is also possible to define own breathing frequency by asking other people to count the number of your breathing cycles during one minute when you are sleeping. (During sleep the respiratory frequency remains about the same as during wakeful states at rest, but the tidal volume or amplitude of breathing is reduced.)
What are the effects of increased respiratory rates?
When we breathe more than the medical norm, we lose CO2 and reduce body oxygenation due to vasoconstriction and the suppressed Bohr effect caused by hypocapnia (CO2 deficiency). Hence, overbreathing leads to reduced cell oxygenation, while slower and easier breathing (with lower respiratory rates) improves cell oxygen content.
Normal pediatric respiratory rate for infants, newborn, toddlers, and children
(the source for this pediatric table is provided in references)
| Groups of children | Their ages | Normal respiratory rates |
| Newborns and infants | Up to 6 months old | 30-60 breaths/min |
| Infants | 6 to 12 months old | 24-30 breaths/min |
| Toddlers and children | 1 to 5 years old | 20-30 breaths/min |
| Children | 6 to 12 years | 12-20 breaths/min |
More about respiratory rate and body oxygenation
From physiological viewpoint, the body oxygen test or stress-free breath holding time after your usual exhalation is the more meaningful and important DIY test, than one's breathing frequency. If you have less than 20 s of oxygen in the morning (when you wake up), you are likely to have health problems.
Ideal Respiratory Rate
Ideal respiratory rate at rest for maximum possible brain and body oxygen levels corresponds to the automatic or unconscious breathing with only about 3-4 breaths per minute (see Buteyko Table of Health Zones for details). Bear in mind that this relates to one's basal breathing or unconscious breathing pattern at rest (e.g., during sleep, when reading, writing, etc.) The practical test for the ideal breathing pattern is to measure one's body oxygen level (see the link in the left menu). The person with ideal breathing has about 3 min for the body oxygen test (after exhalation and without any forcing oneself). This 
corresponds to the maximum breath holding time of about 8 or more minutes (if breath holding is done after maximum inhalation and for as long as possible).
Resources and further info:
- Mouth Breathing in Children, Babies, Toddlers, and Infants: Their causes, effects, treatment, and prevention: This web page will help you to slow down breathing in your children naturally
- Ideal breathing pattern
- Normal respiratory rates for children (from Healthwise - health.msn.com) http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100061122
Reference Web Pages: Breathing norms, Medical Graphs and Tables about Breathing Rates (Minute Ventilation) and Body Oxygen in Healthy, Normal and Sick People
Breathing norms Parameters, graph, and description of the normal breathing pattern
6 breathing myths 6 myths about breathing and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
Hyperventilation Definitions of hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
Hyperventilation Syndrome in the Sick. Table 1. Western scientific evidence about prevalence of CHV (chronic hyperventilation) in patients with various chronic conditions (34 medical studies)
Normal Minute Ventilation in Healthy Subjects: Easy and Light Breathing (14 Studies)
Hyperventilation Prevalence Present in Over 90% of Normal People (24 medical publications)
HV and hypoxia How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of all vital organs
Body oxygen test How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (a simple DIY test)
Body oxygen in healthy Table 4. CP (body oxygen level) in healthy people (27 medical studies)
Body oxygen in sick Table 5. CP (body oxygen level) in sick people (14 medical studies)
Buteyko Table of Health Zones with clinical description of most common zones
Morning HV Morning hyperventilation effect or how and why critically ill people are most likely to die during early morning hours
Vasodilation: CO2 expands arteries and arterioles facilitating perfusion (or blood supply) to all vital organs
The Bohr effect How and why oxygen is released by red blood cells in tissues
Cell Oxygen Levels and oxygen transport are controlled by alveolar CO2 and breathing
Oxygen Transport depends on breathing and these two effects (Vasoconstriction-Vasodilation and the Bohr effect) are parts of two diagrams that summarize influences of hypocapnia (low CO2 content in the blood and cells) on circulation and O2 delivery
Free Radical Generation takes place due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia. Hence, antioxidant defenses of the human body are also regulated by CO2 and breathing
Inflammatory Response is controlled by breathing since hypoxia leads to or intensifies chronic inflammation through over-expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces these processes
Nerve stabilization takes place due to calmative or sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
Muscle relaxation or relaxation of muscle cells is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture and, sometimes, aggression and violence
Brochodilation - dilation of airways (bronchi and bronchioles) by carbon dioxide, and their constriction due to hypocapnia
CO2: Best Natural Cough Suppressant and "home remedy" since it calms urge-to-cough nerve receptors located in the tracheobronchial tree and larynx
Blood pH regulation and regulation of other bodily fluids
CO2: Lung Damage Healer: Elevated carbon dioxide prevents injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
CO2: Skin and Tissue Healer
Synthesis of Glutamine in the Brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
CO2 myth "CO2 is a toxic waste gas" myth
Breathing control How is our breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven and erratic.
http://www.normalbreathing.com/index-rate.php
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