I'm 50, and have been dealing with generalized anxiety and tachycardia for the last few years. I've also been told, from chest x-ray, that my heart is at the high end of normal size.
I've been very sendentary since retiring early in 1999. Basically I sit in my house and write or program or watch movies. I know I'm very deconditioned and an trying to slowly start a walking program to regain my stamina. After 4 weeks, I am up to walking for about 20 minutes a day, which still feels like work. A big improvement over my first 5 minute walk, which left me winded.
This afternoon, as sometimes happens, I felt anxious after my walk. My heart rate was about 100 bpm for hours. Can that kind of elevated heart rate cause enlargement of the heart.
Specific questions are
1) what kinds of tests should I get to be sure I am not experiencing the beginnings of heart failure or some organic cause of tachycardia?
2) will building up to 30 or 40 minute walks daily help reduce the size of my heart and slow the rate?
3) After years of inactivity, are we talking like 6 months or 12 months? What should I expect if I am just dealing with deconditioning?