What is the term for a heart rate that exceeds 100 beats per minute?

Tachycardia is the term used to describe a heart rate that exceeds 100 beats per minute. It indicates that the heart is beating faster than normal, which can occur due to various reasons such as stress, exercise, or underlying medical conditions. In normal physiology, the heart rate at rest for adults typically ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute; therefore, any rate above 100 is considered tachycardic.

It's important to understand that while other terms are related to heart function, they describe different conditions. Bradycardia refers to a slower than normal heart rate, ischemia refers to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle which can cause damage, and arrhythmia refers to any irregular heartbeat, whether it's too fast, too slow, or inconsistent. These distinctions emphasize the specific nature of tachycardia as an elevated heart rate, distinguishing it from other cardiovascular terms.