What is a normal pulse rate?

veronica butterfly, ADN, RN · Feb 9, 2006

a normal pulse is between 60-100. mine is between 80 and 100 a lot...

TexasPediRN · Feb 9, 2006

when you are stressed or nervous, your pulse rate can rise, as can blood pressure.

i'm assuming your classmate was practicing on you to get your pulse, and you were probably nervous about it. dont worry about it, and next time someone practices on you,just remember to take a deep breath and relax!

and just a fyi, as the previous posted stated, yes the average pulse rate is between 60-100. excercise can make the pulse increase, and sleeping can make the pulse decrease. i've have a holter monitor done on myself for dizziness..

my highest pulse was 147 (exercise/running around)

my lowest was 42. (sleep)

leslie :-D · Feb 9, 2006

don't worry about it. my baseline for a long time, was in the 90's/low 100's. of course being a heavy coffee drinker and cigarette smoker didn't help the problem any. :rolleyes:

leslie

HeatherLPN · Feb 9, 2006

Mine runs about 96-98, but my BP is usually 110/60. I'm a smoker and coffee drinker.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2006

Many factors influence heart rate or pulse rate. Stress, excitement, dehydration, fever, hyperthyroid, and pain are the more common ones. Resting pulse should be between 60-100, some athletes in very good shape have pulses in the 50's and this is not a problem. Probably nothing wrong with you, just the stress of class would put my pulse in the 90's.

MMARN, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2006

Don't worry about it. Like many posters have said, the baseline for most people is in the 60-100. Maybe you were a little nervous? It's not that bad. One of the girls in my class, her pulse was 92 when I took it and she weighs 98 lbs. She later told me that she was very nervous b/c she hadn't studied for the vitals check off. (We were being graded at the time with our prof listening along with us with the instructional stethescope).

labman · Feb 9, 2006

Normal pulse rate is 60-100 bpm. I think mine usually runs to low 60s because I am working out. When I did my check off mine was like 120. :eek: . Was a little nervous.

KENT

mmurphy · Feb 9, 2006

Normal pulse is between 50-100. Athletes have lower rates, because their heart are more efficent. Generally higher rates occur with mitral valve prolapse, people who drink caffeine, alcohol or smoke, and people who are not in good physical shape.

We are just learning to do vitals signs (radial pulse, blood pressure, pulse ox, resp, etc) and I was the *only* person in my class whos pulse was 90's, why? Everyone elses was around 60-70 and everyone just kept going on and on about my pulse rate and I was actually kinda embaressed about it for some reason.
I felt like am I THAT out of shape or overweight or something? I do need to lose 20 pounds but even some of the people who weight a *lot* more than me had much lower pulse rates.
Anyways.... is there something wrong with me?

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Feb 9, 2006

Thank you guys soo much, you have no idea how much better I feel about this, I was starting to think something was wrong with me...lol

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2006

Thank you guys soo much, you have no idea how much better I feel about this, I was starting to think something was wrong with me...lol

My pulse rate was in the 90s for many years due to hyperthyroidism.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Feb 9, 2006

My pulse is always 80 to 90. In my case, it is because I am overweight and my heart has to work harder.