Beastt said:
I'd have to place it in the "awesome" range, HellonWheels. All else being equal, females usually have slightly elevated heart rates as compared to men. A woman's heart is a little smaller in proportion to her body than is a man's so it has to do more work to provide the same level of circulation. That's why when figuring ballpark target zones, men are told to start with 220 while women should use 226. (Of course there are several different methods and the 220-age or 226-age offers a very general maximum.) I've seen charts that suggest a normal resting heart rate for an adult in the 70 to 100 range. I think 70 to 90 is more realistic but as you strengthen your heart, that number should fall. Your blood pressure also looks great. The diastolic, (69) could be maybe just a smidgeon lower but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it where it is. The systolic, (110), is certainly ideal for someone your age - maybe even just a little low. But as long as you don't suffer lightheadedness when you rise quickly from sitting to standing, low is good.
There are certainly people on the forum who can give you a much better understanding of what these numbers mean that I can but I'll try to give you a brief, simplistic over-view. Your resting heart rate, as long as you're healthy, gives a general idea of your level of fitness. Since the heart is a muscle, when it is exercised, it becomes larger and stronger. A larger, stronger heart doesn't need to pump as often to supply the tissues with the necessary quantity of blood.
Each time your heart contracts, deoxygenated blood is sent from the right ventricle (bottom-right quadrant or "compartment") of the heart to the lungs where it passes waste gasses like carbon dioxide to the lungs and picks up oxygen which adheres to the hemoglobin of the red blood cells. The left ventricle sends oxygenated blood through the aorta to ever branching and narrowing arteries to be delivered to all parts of the body. Each contraction of the heart raises the pressure within the circulatory system. This raised pressure is reflected in the top number, (systolic pressure), which in your case was 110 mmHG (millimeters of mercury). Once the heart relaxes, the pressure in the circulatory system falls to a static pressure. This is reflected by the bottom number, (diastolic pressure). Generally speaking, lower numbers indicate better overall fitness and better health. Doctors usually begin to caution patients when their systolic pressure nears or exceeds 140. Diastolic pressure becomes a concern when it rises to 90 or higher. Of course as with everything, different charts use different numbers and there are other forms of hypertension which show themselves in complex interplays between the two numbers.
Higher blood pressure puts a greater strain on the heart and can be used as one of the more reliable indicators for the likelihood of developing heart disease. People who suffer from hypertension are often cautioned about the amount of salt in their diet. The body tends to try to maintain an electrolyte balance so as more salt reaches the bloodstream, the body draws more water into the blood to try to maintain the balance. The result is a higher blood volume within the same basic circulatory volume so the pressure rises. As your numbers show, exercise and diet are great ways to help to control blood pressure.
All of what Beastt has posted here is fine.
I just want to highlight one issue as regards BP readings.
In my family, there is a history of BP and coronary problems.
I take my blood pressure readings several times per day, at the exact time,
each day and every day.
In order to get a clear understanding of ones blood pressure, one should adopt the same format : minimum readings twice per day : one reading should be taken first thing in the morning and the other reading should be taken at a time when you're not overly stressed.
It's essential that when you are taking a reading that you have neither eaten or drank anything for the past 60 minutes and that you are sitting in the correct position when taking the reading.
There should be no conversation while the reading is being taken and try to take a reading in a location where there are no distractions.
You should also take these readings approximately 2 hours after any strenuous activity (strenuous activity can include walking for more than 20
consecutive minutes - altered heart rates can blur actual BP readings).
Record the readings after you have taken them - each day.
After one month - you should be able to get an accurate picture of your blood pressure.
Once off readings are ineffectual and are a snapshot.
Blood Pressure is a silent killer - you can suffer from too high/low blood pressure without your knowledge.
Therefore, if you are able to purchase a monitor and record your BP, you may well prevent possible problems at a later date.
Ideally, the gold standard BP reading is 120/80 or 115/75.
The average human heart beat is 72 beats per minute.