Exercise Induced Arrhythmias

I am a 36 year old male. I have stayed I pretty good shape, I'm about 15lbs over my target weight. I eat a very good diet and workout 5 days a week, cardio 5 days 30 minutes and 3 days of weightlifting. I have experienced tachycardia since the age of sixteen, very infrequent. About five years ago I started a new job and quit exercising. One day I was caring something heavy and noticed an extra beat between my normal fast rhythm, the rhythm seems the be steady and normal with no symptoms. I mainly notice the beats during panic attacks or most during lifting heavy weights or vigorous cardio, but mainly I notice these during exercising while I'm tired or sometimes when I need food. I have been to the cardiologist twice over the last three years. He has preformed two ekg's, two echo's, and one holter test for 48 hours. He says that I have PAC that is probably caused by adrenaline release. This condition makes me very anxious!!

Does this condition happen often and is it dangerous?

Can you exercise while you are having PAC's? Is that safe to keep going?

It happens often at when my heart rate goes over 160 bpm, how high should I push my heart rate?

Can stress be a large contributor to PAC?

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

Hi Netfixer,

Does this condition happen often and is it dangerous?

If it is just PACs, lots of people have them.  They are not dangerous.  It is important that the holter captures an event that is exactly like your symptoms -- if it doesn't, it still might be something else.  You have to have the exact symptoms while on the monitor for a holter to be a useful test.  If you had symptoms and they are just PACs, this is not dangerous.

Can you exercise while you are having PAC's? Is that safe to keep going?

Absolutely safe.

It happens often when my heart rate goes over 160 bpm, how high should I push my heart rate?

If they are just PACs and you have a structurally normal heart, I would not put any exercise restriction on you based ont his.

Can stress be a large contributor to PAC?

Everyone is different but yes, stress is probably the most common combined with fatigue, stress, caffeine, drinks like Red Bull or other energy drinks.  They can all do it.

I hope this helps.  Thanks for posting.

[tickertock]

Would the same apply to exercise induced PVCs once everything else checks out normal? I have both PACs and PVCs but PVCs sames to be most frequent, I have PVCs that same to kick in at a high heartrate but have been told not to worry. I guess after over 25 years of these demons if something bad were to happen it should have happened already. Got to admit I rarely have them anymore though.

[scouser costa rica]

Many times I have got my  A-Fib to go to NSR with exercise.
                                                       Regards Ian

[scouser costa rica]

[anacyde]

I also have had my share of exercise-induced PACs (caught on Holter).  They're incredibly annoying at best.  At worst, I get enough of them to trip me into SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) but I believe you have to be "electrically wired" for that tp happen, and I am.  Even with the SVT, my cardiologist says my exercise-induced PACs do not pose a risk and that continuing cardiovascular exercise is the smart thing to do.

Like you, the PACs do tend to occur more at higher rates for me.  I was noticing them anytime after I got to 140 bpm.  They happen also if an anxious situation raises my heart rate to that point.

Since adrenaline is often a factor in PACs...and going hungry leads to an adrenaline response when your blood sugar drops, it's a good idea to eat small, regular meals.  I have the same problem there too.

PS: Holter monitors scare away exercise-induced PACs, lol

[netfixer]

Thanks for you help.