low heart rate when resting, high when exercising.

[rycorsten]

I'm a 155 lb male, age 22.  Over the last few months I've seen a decline in my resting heart rate.  It used to always be in the mid sixties, now it has dropped to ranging from 48-54 bpm.  I wouldn't call myself a highly conditioned athelete, however, I do run on a treadmill an hour a day five days a week.  Conversly, my heart rate gets abnormally high when exercising.  I seem to reach my upper target heart rate range without running or working myself very hard at all, especially when running on hard ground or grass.  It seems I only need to jog at medium intensity to reach the high 170's.  If I keep up a meduim intesity jog up for any decent amount of time I even get into the upper 180's.  When this happens, I don't feel out of breath and or even very tierd.

1.  Could my low resting rate be due my high heart rate when exercising.  By this I mean, is it possible that my heart is adapting to my exercise as though I'm a pro athelete because my bpm's are so high when running?  Like my heart thinks it is working very hard even though I'm just moderately running five days a week?

2. are there other reasons that my pulse could be progressively declining?  I've read about sick sinus syndrome but I don't seem to be experiencing the alternating low/high resiting rates I've read about, and my rate definately increases with exericse!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

[knob1113]

I am a 50 year female and I have been having very low heart rates down in the 48 range and reating 37.  I has been kind of scary for me.  I work out a lot during the week weight training twice a week and tennis two to three times.  I have had a stess test and the doc says looks great but I am wondering should i have a second opinion???

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,

1. Could my low resting rate be due my high heart rate when exercising. By this I mean, is it possible that my heart is adapting to my exercise as though I'm a pro athelete because my bpm's are so high when running? Like my heart thinks it is working very hard even though I'm just moderately running five days a week?

There is a broad range of heart rate response to exercise.  It is likely that you are simply within the normal limits of heart rate behavior but just higher than normal.  It doesn't mean something is wrong.  If you are concerned about it, talk to your doctor, but I don't think this is something to worry about.


2. are there other reasons that my pulse could be progressively declining? I've read about sick sinus syndrome but I don't seem to be experiencing the alternating low/high resiting rates I've read about, and my rate definately increases with exericse!


In a young person exercising an hour per day, the overwhelmingly most likely reason is good physical fitness.  From what you describe, there is no reason to be worried about sinus node dysfunction.  This is a problem usually encountered in the elderly and people with congenital heart disease.

Ask your doctor if you have concerns, but it sounds like you are doing fine.  Good luck and thanks for posting.

[anacyde]

Hey :)  I'm not by any means an elite athelete, but I've noticed the same thing.  On Holter, my resting rate was in the low 50s and my upper exercise rate was around 180.  I rollerbladed one day and did Tae Bo the other while on the monitor, and the peak heart rate was about the same for both.  My cardiologist assured me that it "looked great".  I'm also in my 20s.  He said it isn't unusual for young people to see those rates.  I usually feel awesome when my heart rate is between 150-180, no shortness of breath or tiredness either, like you describe.

[I'mallheart]

atleast your not like me, i can be walking and in secounds go to 200 beats a minute..and i have 45-55 at rest..i do take atenolol for tachycardia...i have really had some bad days lately, up all night, havent slept in three nights cause heart beat sensations, etc.