Exercise and A-Fib ?

[scottp]

At age 52 I was maintaining rate between 135 and 165 for 30 miles
on bike  four times a week and stopped riding after I had my first
four A-Fib episodes while resting and doing nothing.
In all 4 cases I spontaneously converted in less than 24 hours.

The reason I stopped exercising is I was riding bicycle very fast
for 30 mile rides and I feared an episode might make me dizzy
and crash.  I've never had an episode during extreme exercising
and would like to know if now that I have started having episodes
( have been none for 3 weeks now however )
if intense physical activity can cause the stress on the heart
sufficient to cause an A-Fib or increase the probability.

If it turns out that it is advisable to keep exercising while
in Afib if I have an episode,  can someone give me an idea
of how much cardio capability is given up while in A-Fib?
ie Will I be reduced in capability like I aged 30 years ?

[va_tony]

We are all different and so it's hard to generalize.... but in my own case, intense exercise has never actually triggered afib during the exercise.  However, the afib might occur hours after intense exercise when my heart rate has returned to normal and I'm about to go to sleep. Even then, exercise will not always trigger afib.  It's typically triggered (in my case) by exceeding my normal training level. So I have found that by sowly building up the exercise intensity level from day to day, I can avoid triggering the afib. If I've been away from the gym for awhile (say because of a cold or injury), I always start off slowly and keep the workouts easy and short until I regain my earlier level of fitness.

Best wishes

Tony

[scouser costa rica]

Hi,
   Sometimes my Paroxsymal A-Fib goes away when I exercise,but not always. I always use a pulse monitor to make nothing crazy is happening,but have never felt dizzy. I am now 71 and used to be a road racing cyclist in my early twneties,but now it is a stationary bike as the roads in Costa Rica are terrible.
           Good luck
                         Ian

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

would like to know if now that I have started having episodes
( have been none for 3 weeks now however )
if intense physical activity can cause the stress on the heart
sufficient to cause an A-Fib or increase the probability.

That is a good question, but there is no good answer for it.  The only way to know is to try to exercise.  If you are afraid you might pass out, perhaps biking is not the best option.  I hate to see you give up exercise based on a fear or concern for something that hasn't happened (afib during exercise).


If it turns out that it is advisable to keep exercising while
in Afib if I have an episode,  can someone give me an idea
of how much cardio capability is given up while in A-Fib?
ie Will I be reduced in capability like I aged 30 years ?


It depends on the individual.  Some people never know when they are in AF an others, rarely, are disabled by the symptoms.  Again, the only way to know is based on your experience.  

I think these are questions that people can answer from their experience, but yours is likely to be different.  

I hope this helps.