Skip to main content

Chronotropic Incompetence

Meaning

Chronotropic incompetence is a clinical condition characterized by the inability of the heart rate to increase adequately in proportion to increased physical or metabolic demand. This failure to achieve the target heart rate during exercise or stress limits cardiac output, restricting the body’s capacity to deliver oxygenated blood to working tissues. It serves as a significant marker of underlying cardiovascular dysfunction and is a prognostic indicator in various patient populations. The diagnosis typically relies on a stress test demonstrating a sub-optimal heart rate response.