What to Tell the Doctor
- During an office visit ask the doctor what he or she expects as a normal heart rate for the person you care for.
- Take the pulse and exercise diary with you to the doctor’s visit. Let the doctor know how the person you care for tolerates exercise.
- Have the person you care for describe to the doctor any episodes of chest pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a sense of feeling “a funny heart beat”.
- Call the doctor immediately if you take a pulse and note a new irregularity or abnormal rate (dysrhythmia).
- Remember: if you take a pulse and note a dysrrhythmia and the person is in distress, call 911 immediately.