Key takeaways:
The common cold can cause fever, dehydration, stress, and inflammation. All of these can increase your heart rate.
Some over-the-counter cold medications can also increase your heart rate and make the problem worse.
You should seek medical care if your heart rate stays above 100 beats per minute or if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting.
You may have noticed that when you catch a cold, your heart seems to beat faster than usual. It’s not just your imagination. There’s a scientific reason this can happen.
For most people, a faster heart rate is a normal response to being sick and isn’t harmful. But it can also be a sign that something else is going on in your body. For people with heart disease a faster heart rate can sometimes become a problem. That’s why it’s important to know what to do if your heart rate doesn’t settle down.
Why does a cold elevate your heart rate?
When you get sick with the common cold, your body has to work harder to fight off the virus. This extra effort can raise your heart rate.
This happens for a few reasons:
Fever: When your body temperature goes up, your heart rate can increase. One study found that for every 1.8°F rise in temperature, heart rate increased by more than 8 beats per minute (bpm).
Dehydration: When you’re sick, you might not feel like eating or drinking much. This can lead to dehydration. Dehydration can make your heart work harder to keep your body working normally.
Stress: Being sick can be stressful, and stress can also make your heart beat faster. Your body releases stress hormones, like adrenaline, which can speed up your heart rate.
Medications: Some over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications can also raise your heart rate. We’ll talk about this below.
What is a normal heart rate?
Your heart beats, or pumps, at a certain rate. Another word for heart rate is pulse. Your heart rate doesn’t stay exactly the same all the time. It speeds up and slows down depending on what’s going on in your body.
When healthcare professionals talk about your heart rate, they usually mean your resting heart rate. That’s how fast your heart beats when your body is at rest, like when you’re sitting quietly and relaxing. Most people have a resting heart rate between 60 bpm and 100 bpm. But athletes may naturally have a lower resting heart rate.
What happens if you have heart problems and get a cold or flu?
There’s a big difference between a cold and the flu. They can affect your heart differently, too.
Colds are usually milder than the flu. For most people with heart disease, a common cold won’t cause any serious complications. But certain types of cold viruses can trigger heart rhythm problems. These can sometimes be serious. But it’s very uncommon to die from issues caused by a cold.
The flu is another story. It tends to cause much more severe symptoms than the common cold. Each year in the U.S., the flu leads to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and up to about 50,000 deaths from health issues caused by the flu.
If you have a heart condition, getting the flu puts you at greater risk for problems like heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and heart arrhythmias. That’s why it’s important to check in with your healthcare team if you have heart disease and think you have the flu. Getting a flu shot will lower your risk of these problems.
What cold medications are safe if you have heart disease?
It’s easy to assume that OTC medications are safe. But that’s not always the case. Many cold medications can increase your heart rate, blood pressure, or risk of heart disease complications.
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The following medications are your safest options if you have heart disease:
Cough medication: Guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin) is a cough expectorant, and it’s likely safer than dextromethorphan (Delsym) for people with heart disease.
Antihistamines: Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and doxylamine (Unisom) can help with a runny nose or trouble sleeping. But they can also cause drowsiness and increase your risk of falls. So it’s important to use them sparingly.
Nasal sprays: Decongestant nasal sprays, such as oxymetazoline (Afrin), may be a safer alternative to oral decongestants.
It’s best to avoid the following cold medications if you have heart disease:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Decongestants, like phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
These medications may raise your heart rate or blood pressure. NSAIDs can also raise your risk of a heart attack and may interact with some heart medications. If you have a heart condition, check with your healthcare team before taking any cold medication.
When should you get medical care for an elevated heart rate?
If you have a cold, it’s normal for your heart to beat a little faster than normal. Hydration and rest will usually help calm it down. But if your heart rate stays above 100 beats per minute, even when you’re resting, it’s a good idea to get it checked out.
It’s especially important to seek care if your fast heart rate happens along with other symptoms, such as:
Fainting
Shortness of breath
If your symptoms feel severe, go to your nearest emergency room. That way the problem can be taken care of quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, illnesses like a cold can raise your blood pressure. This happens for a lot of the same reasons a cold can increase your heart rate. Fever, discomfort, and stress can all lead to increased blood pressure. Even dehydration — which is often associated with a lower blood pressure — can raise your blood pressure. This is because dehydration can lead to the release of hormones, which tells your body to increase its blood pressure.
Many other things can cause an elevated resting heart rate, including:
Stress and anxiety
Caffeine and other stimulants
Some asthma medications
Hyperthyroidism or thyroid medication
Low oxygen levels
Anemia
Smoking
Yes, illnesses like a cold can raise your blood pressure. This happens for a lot of the same reasons a cold can increase your heart rate. Fever, discomfort, and stress can all lead to increased blood pressure. Even dehydration — which is often associated with a lower blood pressure — can raise your blood pressure. This is because dehydration can lead to the release of hormones, which tells your body to increase its blood pressure.
Many other things can cause an elevated resting heart rate, including:
Stress and anxiety
Caffeine and other stimulants
Some asthma medications
Hyperthyroidism or thyroid medication
Low oxygen levels
Anemia
Smoking
The bottom line
The common cold can make your heart beat faster. This can happen because of a combination of factors, including fever, dehydration, inflammation, and stress. While this might be uncomfortable, it’s often your body’s way of trying to get you back to feeling healthy again. But if your heart rate stays above 100 beats per minute (bpm) or you have any symptoms that worry you, it’s best to go to the nearest emergency room. If your symptoms are milder, but still bothersome, contact your doctor’s office. They can check out your heart and make sure you’re OK.
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References
American Heart Association News. (2019). Taking medicine for a cold? Be mindful of your heart.
Behrouzi, B., et al. (2022). Association of influenza vaccination with cardiovascular risk: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Age-adjusted rates for cold-related deaths, by U.S. census region and metropolitan status of place of occurrence — United States, 2010–2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Facts about estimated flu burden.
Crumlich, D. H., et al. (2026). Dextromethorphan toxicity. StatPearls.
Karjalainen, J., et al. (1986). Fever and cardiac rhythm. Internal Medicine.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2020). Researchers uncover how common cold virus triggers heart problems.
