Heart rate 73 on an adult - what does it mean?

Where 73 bpm sits on the adult scale

What a resting pulse of 73 means

That is a healthy resting value. Within the normal range, lower resting rates generally go with better aerobic fitness; very fit adults often sit in the 50s or lower.

Your resting rate varies by several beats from day to day. Measure at the same time — ideally in the morning before getting up — and look at the average over a week rather than a single number.

Ranges apply to adults and children aged 10 and older, measured at rest (American Heart Association). By the numbers: at 73 bpm the heart beats about every 0.82 seconds — roughly 105,120 beats a day.

A pulse of 73 on a hot day or after too little to drink

Fluid and temperature have a direct effect on the resting pulse. If you measured 73 on a warm afternoon or after hours without drinking much, your usual value might be a few beats lower. The reading is still normal, but it may say more about your water balance than about your heart.

When the body is short of fluid, the volume of blood in the circulation shrinks. With less blood returning to the heart, each beat pushes out a little less. To keep blood pressure and oxygen delivery steady, the heart compensates by beating faster. Heat adds to this. To shed warmth, blood vessels in the skin widen and draw blood toward the surface, so the heart has to work harder to keep the brain and muscles supplied.

Signs that fluid, not fitness, is behind the number

A higher-than-usual resting pulse from dehydration rarely comes alone. Look for other clues:

• thirst and a dry mouth
• dark yellow urine or passing water less often than usual
• a headache or tiredness, especially later in the day
• feeling light-headed when you stand up quickly
• a long workout, a sauna, a hangover or a stomach bug in the past day

Drinking water and resting somewhere cooler usually brings the rate back toward baseline within a few hours. Re-measuring after you have rehydrated is a simple way to see whether fluid was the cause.

Alcohol deserves a mention here because it makes the kidneys release more water. A few drinks in the evening can leave you slightly dry the next morning, one reason a pulse may read higher after a night out.

When heat becomes a health problem

A pulse in the 70s on a hot day is ordinary. The concern is when heat exposure goes further. A fast, pounding pulse combined with heavy sweating, nausea, cramps or weakness can be signs of heat exhaustion: move to a cool place, loosen clothing and sip water. Confusion, a very high body temperature, hot dry skin or fainting point to heat stroke, which is a medical emergency, so call 911.

Older adults, people with heart or kidney conditions and those taking diuretics or some blood pressure medicines are more vulnerable to heat and fluid loss, so they should plan ahead on hot days. Practical ways to keep your resting rate steady in summer are on the lowering heart rate page.

For a reliable resting value, sit quietly for five minutes first and average a few mornings: Resting Heart Rate: What It Says About Your Health. You can also measure by tapping along on the start page.

Nearby values

• 68 bpm
• 69 bpm
• 70 bpm
• 71 bpm
• 72 bpm
• 74 bpm
• 75 bpm
• 76 bpm
• 77 bpm
• 78 bpm

Measured on a child instead? See heart rate 73 in a child.

Sources: American Heart Association: All About Heart Rate · MedlinePlus: Pulse · ACSM position stand on exercise intensity (2011)

This page explains a single reading in general terms. It is not a diagnosis. Heart rate alone cannot tell whether the rhythm is regular or whether the heart is healthy — if you are worried, talk to a doctor.