Prolonged Elevated Heart Rate After Activity

[roland]

My heart rate stays elevated after I do any activity such as exercise or yard work. The rate can go as high as 140 bpm (depending on the activity) and it goes slowly down over a period of a few hours or longer. I am overweight and out of shape. I am a 43 year old male. Is my being out of shape the sole reason? What are some other possible causes? Could a clogged heart artery cause this?

[Jim369]

A related discussion, What is exercise induced arrythmia and how is it treated? was started.

[Patches1]

What is exercise induced arrhythmia, and atrial fibrillation?

[Mel22]

From my understanding, unless you are in active A-fib it will *not* show up on a routine EKG. Why don't you request a stress-test, especially since your doctor has suggested A-fib as a possible diagnosis. When you get the stress test they can recreate the experience and get a definite diagnosis. It's worth it for peace of mind alone.

Good luck!

[roland]

I think I did not supply the doctor will enough information in my original post/question. My pulse rate does not stay elevated at all times. I have just noticed in the past 1 1/2 years that after exercise or semi strenuous work that my heart rate stayed elevated for a longer period of time then usual. It could get as high as 140-146 and take some hours to get back down to 80. I take this to be from me being out of shape and overweight. I think the doctor thought that it is always elevated even at rest, but its not. This morning when I awoke from sleep, my pulse was 68 bpm. He mentioned that I may have an exercise induced arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, but I really doubt that. I failed to mention to him that I wore a 24 hour holter moniter this past fall and I was told the results were normal. I know from what I have read that atrial fibrillation will show up on a EKG.

[jdm]

see if you can find my posts about this identical problem.  I can't figure out if searches can be done by nickname.  My elevated pulse following exercise began in mid thirties and I was in great shape.  HMO docs basically did not care about it as it was not thought to be life threatening.  So I take a poison called attenolol daily and deal with panic disorder over it.  Eventually my heartrate would go up after meals and I became hupersensitive to alcohol and caffeine which I eliminated from my diet.  Probably could be diagnosed and maybe even cured at cleaveland but no insurance and I don't have fifty grand to spare.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Roland,

Thanks for the post.

To answer this question ,we need more details.  Specifically what is required is a holter monitor or stress test to actually see the rate and shape of decline of your heart rate.  If your heart rate stays above 120, for example, then it is highly likely that you are developing an exercise-induced arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation.  A clogged artery is a possible cause for this type of heart rate response, but would be lower down on my list of potential causes.

You need evaluation for this finding by your internist or cardiologist.

Hope that helps.