Study for the Health CBE Exam. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which value best defines tachycardia in adults?

Tachycardia means the heart is beating faster than normal when at rest. In adults, the conventional cutoff is a resting heart rate above 100 beats per minute. The normal resting range is about 60 to 100 bpm, so rates below 60 bpm are considered bradycardia and rates within 60–100 bpm are normal. Therefore, the value that best defines tachycardia is a heart rate above 100 bpm. (Note: brief periods above 100 can occur with exercise or fever and are not always pathologic, but the defining criterion remains >100 bpm.)

Tachycardia means the heart is beating faster than normal when at rest. In adults, the conventional cutoff is a resting heart rate above 100 beats per minute. The normal resting range is about 60 to 100 bpm, so rates below 60 bpm are considered bradycardia and rates within 60–100 bpm are normal. Therefore, the value that best defines tachycardia is a heart rate above 100 bpm. (Note: brief periods above 100 can occur with exercise or fever and are not always pathologic, but the defining criterion remains >100 bpm.)