When should one worry about tachycardia?

[GrannyE]

A 90 year old friend has a resting heart beat of over 100. When should one worry about that? How long should one wait before calling 999? I know that heartbeats go up well over the hundred with exercise but coming on whilst not being active out of the blue I believe is a different matter.

[jeanjeannie50]

A GP once told me to call for help if my heart rate went over 130.

I've found that slow gentle deep breathing can reduce my heart rate. I think as we age we sometimes breathe in too shallow a manner.

Jean

[GrannyE in reply to jeanjeannie50]

He knew to do deep breathing. I believe that splashing the face with cold water also helps. No other symptoms that I knew about. 130 is the trigger point then? How long should someone tolerate over 100 before calling for help?

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to GrannyE]

I have to say that, after it kicks off, I always give my heart several hours to (hopefully) slow down.

I once presented myself at the docs surgery with flutter that an ECG showed to be 150bpm. It had been going on for 4hrs and I felt absolutely dreadful. He told me to go home take another Flecainide (not always good for flutter)and if it didn't slow down go to A&E. It did slow thank goodness, but I know that any other GP at that surgery would have sent me straight to A&E. I didn't feel it was the Flecainide that helped either, think my heart just went back to normal on it's own. One lady GP sent me when it was in the 120's, this was a waste of time because it eventually reverted back to normal, after hours of me being on a trolley. This was about 3 years ago and I've not been back there since.

I think it takes a lot of time to gain the confidence not to go to A&E and sit your AF attack out, but I have it now and I'd have to be feeling I was going to pass out or having pain before I went there again.

I can totally understand your friends reluctance to go there.

Jean

[GrannyE in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you for that. I will pass it on.

[sotolol in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Agree about shallow breathing.

[Buffafly]

That suggests to me an infection? As we are talking about a 90 year old I think I would ask if he/she has any other symptoms and then call NHS HelpLine for advice.

[GrannyE in reply to Buffafly]

He is always very loathe to call anyone and then spend another uncomfortable night at our local A&E so I posted because I never know when to override his reluctance and insist. He has had some sort of op cos of blocked arteries in the past so he does have a history of heart problems.

[Buffafly in reply to GrannyE]

As he has no other symptoms I wouldn't push him to go to A&E, totally sympathise there! I don't think it's an emergency to have a faster HR unless the person feels unwell otherwise. I would check that he is well hydrated though because my daughter, who cares for very elderly people, says that very often when they suddenly go downhill without obvious reason the problem is often dehydration or a urine infection.

[GrannyE in reply to Buffafly]

I think you are quite right about hydration and I cannot tell you about the amount of time I nag him about drinking enough.