- Normal Beats Per Minute For Children
- Normal Beats Per Minute For Heart
- What Is A Safe Heart Rate
- Normal Beats Per Minute Range
- Normal Beats Per Minute Chart
Multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT) is a rapid heart rate. It occurs when too many signals (electrical impulses) are sent from the upper heart (atria) to the lower heart (ventricles).
The human heart gives off electrical impulses, or signals, which tell it to beat. Normally, these signals begin in an area of the upper right chamber called the sinoatrial node (sinus node or SA node). This node is considered the heart's 'natural pacemaker.' It helps control the heartbeat. When the heart detects a signal, it contracts (or beats).
The normal heart rate in adults is about 60 to 100 beats per minute. The normal heart rate is faster in children.
In MAT, many locations in the atria fire signals at the same time. Too many signals lead to a rapid heart rate. It most often ranges between 100 to 130 beats per minute or more in adults. The rapid heart rate causes the heart to work too hard and not move blood efficiently. If the heartbeat is very fast, there is less time for the heart chamber to fill with blood between beats. Therefore, not enough blood is pumped to the brain and the rest of the body with each contraction.
The heart rate is defined as the estimated number of times that the heart contracts per minute. Normal heart rate ranges between 60 and 100 beats per minute for adults. When the heart beats, it forces blood to be transported throughout the body. During each contraction, blood gets squeezed into the capillaries slightly increasing their capacity. The resting heart rate of a normal adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. The lower the heart rate is at rest, the more efficient the heart function is. It also translates into better cardiovascular fitness. For instance, an athlete can have a resting heart rate of as low as 40 beats per minute.
MAT is most common in people age 50 and over. It is often seen in people with conditions that lower the amount of oxygen in the blood. These conditions include:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Lung failure
You may be at higher risk for MAT if you have:
- Had surgery within the last 6 weeks
- Overdosed on the drug theophylline
- Sepsis
When the heart rate is less than 100 beats per minute, the arrhythmia is called 'wandering atrial pacemaker.'
Some people may have no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they can include:
- Chest tightness
- Sensation of feeling the heart is beating irregularly or too fast (palpitations)
- Weight loss and failure to thrive in infants
Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:
A physical exam shows a fast irregular heartbeat of over 100 beats per minute. Blood pressure is normal or low. There may be signs of poor circulation.
Tests to diagnose MAT include:
- Electrophysiologic study (EPS)
Heart monitors are used to record the rapid heartbeat. These include:
- 24-hour Holter monitor
- Portable, long-term loop recorders that allow you to start recording if symptoms occur
If you are in the hospital, your heart rhythm will be monitored 24 hours a day, at least at first.
If you have a condition that can lead to MAT, that condition should be treated first.
Treatment for MAT includes:
- Improving blood oxygen levels
- Giving magnesium or potassium through a vein
- Stopping medicines, such as theophylline, which can increase heart rate
- Taking medicines to slow the heart rate (if the heart rate is too fast), such as calcium channel blockers (verapamil, diltiazem) or beta-blockers
MAT can be controlled if the condition that causes the rapid heartbeat is treated and controlled.
Normal Beats Per Minute For Children
Complications may include:
Normal Beats Per Minute For Heart
- Reduced pumping action of the heart
Call your health care provider if:
- You have a rapid or irregular heartbeat with other MAT symptoms
- You have MAT and your symptoms get worse, do not improve with treatment, or you develop new symptoms
What Is A Safe Heart Rate
To reduce the risk of developing MAT, treat the disorders that cause it right away.
Normal Beats Per Minute Range
Olgin JE, Zipes DP. Supraventricular arrhythmias. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 37.
Normal Beats Per Minute Chart
Zimetbaum P. Supraventricular cardiac arrhythmias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 58.
Updated by: Micaela Iantorno, MD, MSc, FAHA, RPVI, Interventional Cardiologist at Mary Washington Hospital Center, Fredericksburg, VA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.