What is the relationship between tachycardia and heart failure?

Tachycardia refers to an elevated heart rate, typically defined as a resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute. In the context of heart failure, tachycardia often serves as a compensatory mechanism. When the heart is unable to pump an adequate volume of blood to meet the body’s demands, the body may respond by increasing the heart rate in an attempt to improve cardiac output. This adaptive response is particularly evident when there is decreased stroke volume due to weakened heart muscle function or increased afterload.

The body relies on this compensatory mechanism to deliver sufficient blood supply to vital organs during times of stress or reduced cardiac efficiency. While this can provide temporary relief, sustained tachycardia may ultimately contribute to worsened heart function and increased myocardial oxygen demand, exacerbating the original heart failure condition.

In contrast, some of the other options misunderstand the role of tachycardia in heart failure. For instance, tachycardia is not simply an indicator of physical fitness levels, nor does it inherently lead to an increase in blood pressure; the relationship between heart rate and blood pressure can vary. Furthermore, while tachycardia may sometimes be associated with non-cardiac issues, its presence in a patient with heart failure typically