Faster Resting Heart Risky Even for the Fit

Even fit men with higher resting heart rates may have a higher risk of early death, a new study finds. The study included nearly 2,800 men who were middle-aged when they joined a health study in 1970. Researchers kept track of them for 16 years. The new study focused on resting heart rate. That’s how fast your heart beats when you are relaxed and sitting still. Men whose resting heart rate was at least 80 beats per minute died earlier, on average, than men with a heart rate of 65 beats per minute. This was true even for men who exercised regularly. Researchers also adjusted the numbers to account for age, health habits and other factors. A higher heart rate was still linked with earlier death. The risk of death increased 16% for each 10 beats per minute in the resting heart rate. The journal Heart published the study online. HealthDay News wrote about it April 16.