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 At most healthcare appointments, your healthcare provider will check your vital signs. These include heart rate and blood pressure, and they give your provider information about how your heart and blood vessels are functioning. You also may have an electronic blood pressure cuff at home, which typically checks both blood pressure and heart rate at the same time. These numbers can sometimes overlap, and it can be confusing. In this piece, we will review what a heart rate is and what a blood pressure is, why they are different, and why they matter for your health and life goals. These are vital signs that give us information about how your heart and blood vessels are working. They let us know if you might need a medical intervention or medication to prevent future disease:
Do heart rate and blood pressure increase at the same rate?No, heart rate and blood pressure do not increase at the same rate. It is true that in some instances they will increase and decrease together. For example, when you are stressed or exercising, both tend to increase. When you are sleeping or digesting food, both tend to decrease. In other instances, like if you faint, or you are sick with a bad infection, your blood pressure will drop and your heart rate will increase to make up for it. What is a normal resting heart rate?A normal resting heart rate for most people is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. There are several reasons resting heart rates can be outside of this, including physical fitness level and medication use. More on this later. What are the risks of an abnormal resting heart rate?If your resting heart rate is abnormal, it could be a sign of a disease affecting your heart rate, also called an arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that can cause a high, irregular resting heart rate that increases your risk of having a stroke. A common cause of a slow heart rate is something called “heart block.” This is when certain electric circuits in your heart fail. As a result, your heart may pump slower, less efficiently, and even miss beats altogether. Heart block may cause you to feel tired or faint, and it can lead to a collapse. A resting heart rate that is slow (less than 60 beats per minute) can be normal in some people who are in very good physical shape, like long-distance runners. More on this next. What can I do to lower my resting heart rate?A low-normal resting heart rate, between 40 and 60 beats per minute, is a sign that you are physically fit and healthy. People with a low resting heart rate also tend to live longer. Improving your physical fitness can lower your resting heart rate. You can do this by increasing your regular physical activity. For adults, a good weekly goal to aim for is 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like brisk walking) or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity (like running or a spin class). There is also an association between a higher resting heart rate and worse heart health, including high blood pressure. How is blood pressure measured?Blood pressure is a bit more difficult to measure than heart rate. It requires a blood pressure cuff (the actual name for the cuff is a “sphygmomanometer,” but even healthcare professionals rarely use this word). There are both manual cuffs (where your healthcare provider will squeeze a handheld air pump to inflate the cuff) and electronic cuffs (which inflate after pushing a button). When the air pressure is released (slowly) from these cuffs, we can find your blood pressure. How do I interpret a blood pressure reading?A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers:
Both of these numbers are important. Depending on your other medical conditions and health goals, you and your healthcare provider will determine a goal blood pressure range for you. For most people, a reasonable blood pressure goal is a systolic (top) pressure of less than 130 and a diastolic (bottom) pressure of less than 80. What are the dangers of high blood pressure?You may have heard high blood pressure be described as “the silent killer,” and this is a pretty accurate description. It is very dangerous to have high blood pressure, even though it doesn’t usually cause you any symptoms. Having high blood pressure over time can significantly increase your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. This is why it is important to check your blood pressure, even when you are feeling well. How is blood pressure treated?The first step for managing blood pressure is lifestyle changes, like improving what you eat, decreasing salt intake, and increasing your physical activity. There are also many safe and effective medications that can lower your blood pressure. Can blood pressure medications affect heart rate?Yes, some blood pressure medications can affect heart rate. The main medications that can affect your heart rate are beta-blockers, like:
Also, certain calcium-channel blockers can affect your heart rate, like:
These medications have several different functions, including decreasing your blood pressure and slowing down your heart rate. The bottom lineHeart rate and blood pressure are both measurements that give you and your healthcare team information about how well your heart is working. Making the most of the simple tools that we have, like checking heart rate and blood pressure, can help to keep us healthy and in touch with our own bodies. When we are aware of our own normal heart rate and blood pressure, it can help us to figure out when something is wrong and when to reach out for help. Was this page helpful?Boost Heart Health, Not Blood PressureSign up for our Heart Health Newsletter to receive up-to-date information on the latest medications, nutrition tips, and savings that are most relevant to you. By signing up, I agree to GoodRx's Terms and Privacy Policy, and to receive marketing messages from GoodRx. Why is pulse pressure different from pulse rate?Your heart rate and blood pressure measure two different things, but doctors can use both of them to evaluate certain aspects of your health. The heart rate records the number of times that your heart beats per minute, while your blood pressure quantifies how strong your blood moves through the blood vessels.
What is the difference between pulse blood pressure and heart rate?Heart rate (also called a “pulse”) measures how many times per minute your heart beats. Blood pressure measures how strongly (with how much “pressure”) your heart and blood vessels pump blood to the rest of your body.
What is pulse and pulse pressure?The top number (systolic) minus the bottom number (diastolic) is the pulse pressure. For example, if the resting blood pressure is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), the pulse pressure is 40 — which is considered a healthy pulse pressure. Generally, a pulse pressure greater than 40 mm Hg is unhealthy.
What is the difference between blood pressure and pulse pressure?Pulse pressure is the difference between the upper and lower numbers of your blood pressure. Pulse pressure tends to increase as you get older, and this number can also be an indicator of health problems before you develop symptoms.
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Explain why pulse pressure is different from pulse rate
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