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Side Effects of a High Pulse

A person's pulse rate reflects the number of times the heart beats each minute. A normal pulse of an adult is 60 to 100 beats per minute. A high pulse is more than 100 beats per minute. The medical term for high pulse is called tachycardia.

  1. Different Kinds of Tachycardia

    • There are different kinds of tachycardia: ventricular tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, sinus tachycardia, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrillation.

    Ventricular Tachycardia

    • Another name for ventricular tachycardia is abnormal heart rhythm. It is a common culprit of heart attacks and/or scarring of heart tissue. Patients with this tachycardia must be monitored closely as with all heart patients.

    Superventricular Tachycardia

    • Supraventricular tachycardia is when the heart beats fast even without exertion. Signs of supraventricular tachycardia are light-headedness, a pounding pulse and a heart that feels like it's racing. A person might also experience chest pain, sweating, shortness of breath and/or fainting.

    Sinus Tachycardia

    • Sinus tachycardia is caused by the heart's electrical system firing too quickly. Indications of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia are light-headedness, chest pressure and shortness of breath.

    Atrial Fibrillation

    • Atrial fibrillation is when the atria (the two filling chambers) of the heart do not beat in a pattern but shake uncontrollably. The signs of atrial fibrillation are light-headedness, chest pressure and shortness of breath.

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