Is a resting heart rate of 55 too low?
A resting heart rate of 55 is not too low for most adults. The usual range is 60 to 100, but anyone who exercises regularly often sits in the 50s, and that is a sign of a fit heart, not a slow one.
It is worth a doctor's look if it comes with dizziness, fainting, breathlessness, or tiredness that is new, or if you take a beta blocker or another medicine that slows the heart.
Under 50 in someone who does not train, or a rate that drops suddenly, needs an ECG.
Source: American Heart Association, understanding blood pressure readings
See a doctor promptly if
- Palpitations or a racing heart with chest pain, breathlessness, fainting or near-fainting. Seek emergency care
- A resting heart rate persistently above 120 beats per minute, even without symptoms
- An irregular, chaotic pulse with no pattern, especially if new. This can be atrial fibrillation and needs assessment
- A heart rate below 40 beats per minute with dizziness, fatigue or blackouts
- A sustained unexplained rise in resting heart rate with fever, weight loss or night sweats
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Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
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