Which of the following describes heart rate?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following describes heart rate?

Heart rate is the number of times the heart beats in a given period, usually expressed as beats per minute. This per-minute unit is standard in clinical and EMS practice because it aligns with clock time and makes it easy to track changes during activity, stress, or illness. The per-second option would describe a rate as well, but medical practice consistently uses per-minute reporting for heart rate. Cycles per hour isn’t a relevant measure for heartbeats, and liters per minute describes blood flow from the heart (cardiac output), not how often the heart beats. Resting heart rate typically falls between about 60 and 100 beats per minute, and it increases with activity or stress.

Heart rate is the number of times the heart beats in a given period, usually expressed as beats per minute. This per-minute unit is standard in clinical and EMS practice because it aligns with clock time and makes it easy to track changes during activity, stress, or illness. The per-second option would describe a rate as well, but medical practice consistently uses per-minute reporting for heart rate. Cycles per hour isn’t a relevant measure for heartbeats, and liters per minute describes blood flow from the heart (cardiac output), not how often the heart beats. Resting heart rate typically falls between about 60 and 100 beats per minute, and it increases with activity or stress.

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