What Causes Fast Heart Rate in Cancer Patients?
A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Tachycardia, the medical term for a rapid heart rate, is defined as a heart rate of greater than 100 beats per minute. During exercise or vigorous activity, the heart beats faster to provide the body with the increased oxygen it needs during exertion. However, non-exercise related tachycardia can have many causes, some of which frequently are experienced by cancer patients.