The number of heart beats per unit time, usually per minute The heart rate is based on the number of contractions of the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) The heart rate may be too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia)
If you have a pulse of 65 as you read this, that is probably the same rate that your heart is beating and pumping blood out to be felt as a pulse Heart rate = pulse rate = ventricular rate in people with normal heart rhythms