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Avatar universal

Heart rate 38 bpm 1 min post-exercise. Bradycardia or something else?

Hi, I am 22, and I have noticed that about 30 seconds after I have stopped exercising I get really strong pounding palpitations. They are very slow but after every third palpitation I can feel two faster beats when feeling my pulse. My pulse may be 100+ when exercising but after a minute it will be around 35-42 bpm. This will only last for around 2 minutes and then my heart rate returns to normal.

I have a resting heart rate of 55-62bpm, but are the above symptoms associated with bradycardia or could it be something else? I have just had a 24hr holter monitor and my doctor did say I now have heart murmur too.

Just wondering if anyone has experienced anything like this or knows what it could be?

Thanks.
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Avatar universal
It turns out you were right, I had several periods of bigeminy, but other than that everything seemed okay. There was a mention of POTS, although I don't have much clue about what this is. It is being left for now, but they want to refer me if the symptoms continue over next few weeks.

Thanks for your help, and everyone else too.
Helpful - 0
995271 tn?1463924259
The heart murmur usually diagnosed by listening with a stethoscope.  If the doc can hear a bit of turbulence it's called a murmur.  It usually means a valve isn't working right.  To what degree is the question, and usually requires an echo to see how it's performing.

What you're seeing could be a simple dysautonomia.  Meaning your ANS has strong vagal tone after your exercise, which slows your heart down.  Anything < 60 bpm is called bradycardia.  It's a broad term for a slow heart rate.  It could be idiopathic (no known cause) or could have a pathology (known cause).  It sounds perfectly benign to me but you could do a stress test to replicate it while on an EKG and around your cardiologist.  
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your explanation, I understand a lot more now, it is very reassuring. I'll research bigeminy because it does sound very similar to what I experience. I'm sure my doctor will explain further whenever I get the results back. Thanks again.
Helpful - 0
257552 tn?1404602554
I read Michellepetkus' response and I agree. In extension to her response though, in elaboration of ectopics, sometimes they occur in repeating patterns, bigeminy is one normal beat and a premature beat, oft times repeated over and over in this pattern. Many premature ventricular beats are followed by a pause, referred to as a compensatory pause.

We have a normal beat, then a premature beat we don't feel, then heart's pacemaker discharges again for what should have been the next normal beat, but the ventricles just responded to the premature beat and aren't ready to contract again. The next time the ventricles will contract is when the heart's pacemaker discharges for the next normal beat. The end result, from one normal beat, through the premature beat, to the next normal beat, is two beats long. This is why the heart fills with a little more blood than usual and when the normal beat occurs, we feel the thump.

The point is bigeminy reduces your heart rate to 1/2 of normal.

The following isn't exact science on my part, but has been done to demonstrate a point.

Assume a normal rate of 70, ® represents a normal beat, ¥ represents a premature beat. The premature beat, in this example, is the type with a compensatory pause.

®¥®¥®¥    
Normal rate of 70 becomes 35 during bigeminy.

®®¥®®¥®®¥
Normal rate of 70 becomes 47 during trigeminy.

®®®¥®®®¥®®®¥
Normal rate of 70 becomes 52 during quadrageminy.

If you are in a repeating pattern of premature beats, it can cause the heart rate to slow. Although these patterns are common, I'd talk with your doctor or cardiologist to be sure all is well.
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Avatar universal
Thanks, yes I did so I'm sure I'll get an explanation when I get the results back, that could be weeks though so I was just interested. I forgot to mention that it isn't necessarily a hard workout when I experience these symptoms, it is every time my heart rate increases more than 20bpm say, even from running upstairs. It's a strange feeling which I've kind of got used to. Thanks for your reply.
Helpful - 0
1807132 tn?1318743597
No one can say for sure until it is caught on a monitor but it is possible you are experiencing ectopic beats.  The two beats you feel followed by a pause that can show the heart rate as really low may be what is going on.  Did you have the symptoms while on the holter?  If so question the doctor what was on it and if your heart rate is really that low in response to exercise or is it just ectopic activity?  If it is just ectopics and your heart is otherwise structurally normal then it shouldn't be anything to worry about.  If you are not experiencing any shortness of breath or feeling as though you will pass out that is a good sign as well your heart is tolerating what is going on well.  I would say maybe try to not push too hard in your workouts or go through a cool down period before you completely stop and see if it helps the strong beats.  Take care.    
Helpful - 0
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