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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
elevated HR after exercise
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elevated HR after exercise
by Dan1981, Mar 26, 2007 12:00AM
I am a 25 year old male. In comparision to many others on here, my "problem" may seem minor.
My main question relates to my recovery rate after exericse.My usual resting heart rate is around 70 (as measured first thing in the morning). When I jog, I keep my heart at 175 to 185 BPM. In the first two minutes following exercise my heart rate drops to under 120. After five minutes it is between 100 and 110. Then it stays around 100 for about an hour (or sometimes 2), before gradually returning to normal. Funny enough, the same thing happens to my sister. When my girlfriend jogs with me, her heart rate returns to normal within 15 mins and she is not particularly fit.
I first realised this 3 years ago when I had a check up with my doctor. I was late for my appointment so walked at a brisk pace for 45 mins to his office. As expected, my HR was above 100 during the exam. He seemed concerned. He took an EKG which he said was normal but with fast heart rate. He referred me to a cardiologist. I had blood tests, an ECHO, wore a Holter and did a Stress test, where they said I was relatively fit. From these results, my GP says I have a structurally normal heart but he says there is definately a reason for the fast heart rate. He says he knows a good specialist in heart rhythms and thinks I should see him. Is this a good idea?
1. Should I be concerned to have an elevated HR after exercise?
2. My standing HR is almost always between 90 and 110. Walking around is between 100 and 120. Is this normal?
My main question relates to my recovery rate after exericse.My usual resting heart rate is around 70 (as measured first thing in the morning). When I jog, I keep my heart at 175 to 185 BPM. In the first two minutes following exercise my heart rate drops to under 120. After five minutes it is between 100 and 110. Then it stays around 100 for about an hour (or sometimes 2), before gradually returning to normal. Funny enough, the same thing happens to my sister. When my girlfriend jogs with me, her heart rate returns to normal within 15 mins and she is not particularly fit.
I first realised this 3 years ago when I had a check up with my doctor. I was late for my appointment so walked at a brisk pace for 45 mins to his office. As expected, my HR was above 100 during the exam. He seemed concerned. He took an EKG which he said was normal but with fast heart rate. He referred me to a cardiologist. I had blood tests, an ECHO, wore a Holter and did a Stress test, where they said I was relatively fit. From these results, my GP says I have a structurally normal heart but he says there is definately a reason for the fast heart rate. He says he knows a good specialist in heart rhythms and thinks I should see him. Is this a good idea?
1. Should I be concerned to have an elevated HR after exercise?
2. My standing HR is almost always between 90 and 110. Walking around is between 100 and 120. Is this normal?
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-M.D.-MJM, Mar 26, 2007 12:00AM
Hi Dan,
The degree to which is a problem depends on if it causes you symptoms. If this does not cause you symptoms, move on and don't give it a second thought. My guess is that is the EP doctor will tell you as well. Given your lack of symptoms, unless you doctor has compelling reasons for an invasive procedure (ie something abnormal on your ekg), I don't think you need anymore tests if your echo, ekg, and tsh are normal.
2. My standing HR is almost always between 90 and 110. Walking around is between 100 and 120. Is this normal?
there is significant variability between people regarding how quickly there heart rate increases and recovers to stress. I agree that a walking heart rate in the 100-120 range is faster than 'normal,' but this does not mean there is something wrong or that you need a procedure to fix this unless you have significant symptoms or a 24 holter shows significant elevations in your heart rate that you are not aware of.
I hope this helps. Thanks for posting.
The degree to which is a problem depends on if it causes you symptoms. If this does not cause you symptoms, move on and don't give it a second thought. My guess is that is the EP doctor will tell you as well. Given your lack of symptoms, unless you doctor has compelling reasons for an invasive procedure (ie something abnormal on your ekg), I don't think you need anymore tests if your echo, ekg, and tsh are normal.
2. My standing HR is almost always between 90 and 110. Walking around is between 100 and 120. Is this normal?
there is significant variability between people regarding how quickly there heart rate increases and recovers to stress. I agree that a walking heart rate in the 100-120 range is faster than 'normal,' but this does not mean there is something wrong or that you need a procedure to fix this unless you have significant symptoms or a 24 holter shows significant elevations in your heart rate that you are not aware of.
I hope this helps. Thanks for posting.
My advice to you is don't let it worry you too much. Like the doctor said, if you don't have other symptoms then you're probably okay. You don't want to get caught up in a cycle of constantly checking your pulse. I can tell you from personal experience that it will only make things worse. I wish you the best of luck!
Jose
Thanks for your replies. I have worn a heart rate monitor and I am sure my heart rate varies between 100 and 120 when I walk around. It goes up to 145 when I walk up stairs. The strange thing is I can always bring my heart rate down to 70, when I lie flat on my back. Always! For example, now I am sitting at my desk at work at my sitting heart rate is 90, if I stand my heart rate is about 100. But if I lie down on the floor, my heart rate immediately returns to 70! I also feel and hear my heart at the back of my head if I get up from a sitting postion or if I walk up stairs or exercise. I think its strange but maybe I am overanalysing things. I will go to the cardiologist next week.