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Rapid heartrate/high blood pressure after eating

For the past several years I have noticed that after eating food (which ranges from just a cup of milk to a full meal) that my heart rate and blood pressure increases significantly about 30 minutes after eating, and it lasts for about  one and 1/2 hours to two hours.  This occurs about 50% of the time after eating.  My heart rate goes from ~75 bpm up to 140 bmp (max todate), and the blood pressure goes from 130/80 up to 180/102 (max to date).  Note: I am borderline hypertensive and take 20mg of lisinopril a day. I have attempted to determine if there is a particular type of food, or food additive that might trigger the symptoms, and have noticed the symptoms always occur when I eat peanut butter or the snack crackers that are sold in vending machines, and will occassionally happen when I eat homemade macroni and cheese.  Other that these foods, I can find no relationships.  I can have a cup of milk one morning and get the symptoms, then have a cup the next day from the same gallon and have no symptoms.  I have had several tests in the hospital - stress test, sonogram of the heart, gastronomic tests - with no results.  Of course the tests were not conducted just after eating, so I was not exhibiting the symptoms.  Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this?
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Avatar universal
Folks, I'm a big oldschool bikerman, mechanic, farmer and people think I'm sort of a tough guy, but I am literally crying right now, to read your posts and to know, finally, that I am not alone in this! It's funny how I never felt fear when facing down armed men, not even any of the times when I was shot (6), but when this happens, I have a very real sense of my own mortality. Doctors have not been of help, not communicative, dismissive, even derisive at times. A 30+ year RN I've known forever has wrung her heart out trying to figure this out and it has been beyond even her knowledge.
To read your posts, to feel what you and I have been through, to see so many who have suffered for so long (30 years, for myself with this) and to see that some of you have found ways to mitigate the symptoms is just about the most wonderful thing I have seen since my kids were born and the first engine I built coughed to life. I really, honestly wanna bearhug every one of you! Brotherly love, Y'All!
Helpful - 2
1 Comments
Were you able to get yours figured out?  I'm only 6 months into my journey and still no answers.  God bless you
Avatar universal
Let me be a voice of reason for all of you who searched this out, sitting at your computer, having anxiety about this right now. I used to suffer from this mindset induced condition for years, until I figured it out. A little about me. I wake up, make my coffee....and drink 2 cups through the afternoon. My first real meal of the day is around 8:30- 9:00 pm. When I do get to sit down and eat, I go big. 5 course, but always healthy, and good portions. Then after I would rest for a bit, my heart rate would sit high, and i'd feel that thing beating in my chest. Almost like a fish out of water. So how did I fix it you ask? I didn't, I understood it, and stop obsessing about it. Want to know how to get past the uncomfortable part? First things first, before you read on, go grab a large glass of cold water. That's fixes problem # 1. When your body goes through the day, It requires water. Lot's of water. So always have a cup of water going when you can. Dehydration is # 1 cause of high heart rates. Like a car engine without oil in a sense. Second thing...Stop checking your pulse... Only making it worse. Let the heart beat, that's what it does best. You heart doesn't just stop, or explode....It's a muscle, and designed to beat. Try to imagine stopping a train goin 80 mph, with your bare hands. I'll bet 10-1 you'll be able to do that before your heart will stop, or explode...Third and most importantly. Subtle lifestyle changes. Coffee....1 cup, or even decaf if you need. Less caffeine is better, this also included soft drinks, some candy bars...Small meals through the day. Don't be afraid to snack. If your slightly active, you won't gain weight. And eat good, healthy foods. Food our grandparents grew up on. There's a reason some of them are still with us well into their 90's. And finally, relax. We're all going through it, and some of us have probably come read these posts a few times. Your still here, and you'll be here again another day. Always remember, your mind is a lot more powerful then we give it credit for, it can trick us into thinking things are wrong, when they aren't you need to stay in control, and always remember the sun will come again tomorrow.  On a side note, before I decided to write this, I too was experiencing the same symptoms you all where referring too. Once I wrote this out, approx 7 mins, I feel relaxed and better. It's just that simple. Best of luck to you all.
Helpful - 2
1 Comments
Hard to tell my friend as soon as you think it's all in the head, which i wish it is the case, some symptoms suggest that it's a problem with the heart.
5276463 tn?1365874451
This could be an insulin resistance problem.  I know that I had slightly elevated BP due to insulin resistance, and after eating food with a high glycemic index (which will raise your insulin levels rapidly) my BP went up dramatically.  I changed my diet, "fixed" my insulin resistance, and over a period of a few weeks my average BP dropped down to about 110/70.  There wasn't much difference between morning readings before breakfast and evening readings before bed.  This lasted about six months, when I started eating 'bad' stuff again.  I need to get back into the better regimen!
Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
I have the same type of issues.  I've been researching this for myself for the past 3 years and have made good progress.  My doctor guides me since she hasn't the time for the research.  The biggest help has been to modify my diet.  I'm on a low glycemic diet. No white stuff, sugar or underground vegetables.  Also, for me, no fruit or vegetables with potassium.  I feel so much better.

My blood pressure doesn't just rise after eating, it spikes.  The following are the causes:

1.  Improper pH balance of the body - too acidic
The stomach can not make enough acid to digest food because the bodily fluids are too acidic which is very stresfull for the body.  This causes all kinds of problems.

2.  A condition called Adrenal Fatigue which is common with people in high stress situations, short or long term.  This condition causes potassium to build up in the body cells so when you eat anything with potassium and sugar in it, ie:  all fruit, juices and tomatoes, green and colored peppers, it will spike your blood pressure starting about a half hour after eating and lasting for 4 to 5 hours.  Here are some links that I found to be most helpful.
www.phionbalance.com, www.ayushveda.com and www.adrenalfatigue.org

Hope this helps.  I'm finding that these conditions usually involve more than one physical problem.  All involve stress and food.

Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
Lots of interesting post on this site and thanks to all for sharing; I am sitting here reading all these post at 3am with not only the high blood pressure but also feeling a little short of breath. Exercise regularly and have a good diet most of the time. Tonight I ate restaurant a little after 8pm and also a little spicy so I woke up checked my BP and it was 160/95 and like I said the shortness of breath also worried me. Any feed back on this? I am thinking anxiety, indigestion, only a small amount of reflux as far as I can tell. Thanks again for all the Intel it is a blessing. God Bless  
Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
Thanks for this forum guys. It is really helping people around.
3 years ago I had these episodes of rapid HBP (after meals and subsiding few hours later), was ignoring it at first, but it was not going away so I became worried. I did see some doctors but they were not much of help after trying the medications they prescribed. So I started digging out on the net. And I found this forum (-- thanks guys again for contributing). I came across RonChan's (see way up part of this trail) situation and followed his way of treating himself by taking the cumin seeds approach. I find it hard to chew the seeds out. So I continued searching on the net and reading some tabloids. Then I found the black seed oil benefits. Read about it and then started taking it. Then I also found along the beet root juice approach on Gulf News tabloid around the same time during that year and took it as well. Then another one came up from the net as well, the magnesium supplement that according to that reading is providing oxygen to your blood to help regulate blood flow. So took it too simultaneous with the others. Before I knew it I no longer feel the rapid HBP episodes and was recovering fast to normalcy :)
Let's help people by contributing our experiences here and  let them know what we did good to ourselves.
Helpful - 1
19599991 tn?1494283213
  Story of my life budget guy ! Exact same thing here ! Bloke 1981 described it nicely it's reassuring. How come the last comment is from 2008 it's 2017 now.
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Oh i see recent posts are at the bottom of the page. NM
Avatar universal
Blood pressure spikes occur due to the cortisol released to control the immune response to the bacteria that ferment the contents of the meal and enter your body through the intestinal epithelial junction gaps. Reducing carb loading is suggested (Especially high GI carbs) as well as simultaneous consumption of antibacterial foods. Some of those foods are as follows:

fruit skins(Like that of berries, grapes, apples,pears,etc.), omega 3 fatty acids, flaxseeds, flax oil, fish oil, fish skin, garlic, turmeric, coconut oil, cocoa, coffee, lemons, limes, grapefruits, pineapple, vinegar, red wine (Probably due to the essence of red grape skins), hops, that one bitter chinese herb, egg whites, penicullum mold variants (Such as penicillium roqueforti commonly found in blue cheese).

Others with unknown or weaker antibacterial properties (Bacteriostatic).

Nuts, cinnamon, salt, grass fed fermented cow products(substantially higher omega 3 fat content) [cheese, sour cream, butter].
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3 Comments
I would also cut out the wheat. Will explain if you desire.
OMG you just described my diet right there I eat those foods almost everyday as they are supposed to be healthy superfoods.

I guess even good things have limits ! At some point i was thinking that i was eating "too healthy" but didn't understand the process behind it. Maybe that's why i get tachies regularly and high BP after meals.
GlikeGiraffe--I believe she meant DO eat those foods ("simultaneous consumption of antibacterial foods")  I had to read the post twice to make sure I understood.  
Avatar universal
This seems to have worked for me.

I dramatically reduced the amount of saturated fat I eat and I try to keep saturated fat extremely low at dinner.  The reason I tried this was because I learned I likely had a problem digesting and  metabolizing saturated fat.  Plus I was eating a high fat diet to lose weight.  The result was massive inflammation.

I was having spikes from normal levels to 220/120 with hr >120 almost every evening.  The very day I changed my diet to more vegetables and less saturated fats, the spikes stopped.

After a week, I started having spikes again, but only to 160/100 and they lasted only about an hour.  This happened for 3 days and then I started having what I call micro spikes.  HR would jump to 100, diastolic would go up about 10 points, but systolic barely moved.  These micro spikes only lasted maybe 15 minutes from low to high and back down again.

For the last 2 days, no spikes that I noticed.

I did find a study (which I can't find again) that said in some people, the spike was caused by eating a meal high in glucose and/or fat.  The solution was to avoid them or to take vitamins C and E with the meal.  Unfortunately, I didn't write down the amount.

What I try to do is eat only vegetables for dinner and especially those high in C and E.  Some people (me) shouldn't take vitamin E supplements, so it's better to get it from food.

In 3 weeks, I have also reduced each of the bp meds I take by half and over the last few days, bp never went over 122/81.  

I also am taking several supplements and fasting a couple of days a week, but I think the 2/3 reduction in saturated fat was the key.
Helpful - 1
2 Comments
I have almost the same symptoms,
After eating any meal specially dinner, Wethersfield it's a heavy meal or even cheaper or tuna, my BP gets to 145/100 and my HR is 105.
This lasts for 1.5 to 3 hours, and I start to feel better when the burping starts, that's when things start to get normal.

I went to several doctors but I got no solution.

One of them told me that I had the helicobacter pylori, I got cured of it but it was not the reason after all.
Correction of typos.

Wether*
Heavy
Chease
Avatar universal
I spent 3+ hours in ER last night.  BP was about 120/75 and I ate 6 oz of oysters, a packaged diet dinner, and a diet drink.  It was all I ate that day and I ate about 3 pm.  By 4 pm, BP was 220/120 with heart rate at 120.

ER filled me full of meds and BP finally came down under 150/100 after about 3 hours.  I am already on meds, so these were in addition to what I normally take.

This is the hypothesis I'm working on.  I will go over it with my doc next week.

My 23andme genetics test indicates I likely have a problem producing enough digestive enzymes for digesting fat plus I have trouble metabolizing saturated fat.  That means fat isn't broken down enough to be processed by the liver and gets dumped into the blood stream along with bad bacteria, toxins, etc.

So my body goes to war against all this junk in my blood stream.  Has anyone else noticed that heartburn, burping, and gas accompanies the high BP and heart rate?

Now my body is undergoing oxidative stress and blood pressure starts going up.  At the same time, histamines are being created to fight what it sees as allergens.  I think this is why a food that normally doesn't cause a problem, suddenly does.  The histamine level in blood is already high, then you eat a food that is high in histamine, and bam - you have what appears to be an allergic reaction.

I have eaten shrimp for years and had 1 severe reaction to it a few years ago.  Same thing with Cod.

I'm throwing this out hoping that someone with some medical or strong science background might comment.  My 1st thought was taking digestive enzymes and Betaine HCL to break down food would help, but so far it doesn't appear to.

Now I'm leaning toward this being a gut problem - what is often referred to as leaky gut.  I would be curious to know how many others have heartburn, gas, burping, etc that starts about the same time as the spike in blood pressure.

I asked the ER doctor to run a histamine blood test so high histamine could be ruled in or out as possible cause - and he refused!  The only time to run this test is when you think histamine is high.  Otherwise, you just get a normal reading.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I have the same symptoms and after carefully watching the diet, i can tell it happens mostly because of the carbs/sugars.

I'm no doctor, but i understand physiology and biochemistry well enough to assume it makes perfect sense.

Adding glucose (carbs) to the cells promotes glycolysis, which in turn produces H2O as a  byproduct, meaning more water in the blood (less dense blood) and therefore a higher BP. (Hydrodynamics 101).

Sodas also contain A LOT of sodium... Which make the body retain liquid, same effect as before...

If we are already borderline hypertensive, our bodies will likely react in the wrong way to excess liquid. From this point there are 5 paths:

1) diuretics (water out)
2) A/B/C channel blockers (less cardiac usage)
3) loose weight (decrease hydrodynamic load)
4) low carb/low sodium diet (regulate H2O)
5) Nitroglycerine/NoX (loosen arteries a bit)

(An alternate for number 5 is masticating and swallowing a raw garlic, as allicin produces nitric oxide as a metabolite, which relaxes the arteries and drops 5% to 10% BP for an hour or so).

Consult the first 2 with an MD before using..

We still have no clue why the renin/angiotensin system fails or why arteries become rigid over time... The day we figure this out, we will have cured hypertension. :(
Helpful - 1
18525878 tn?1465580657
I am pleased to check all of your answers and opinions on the HR issue, I also have the same issue of HR, when I eat meals my HR rises, although I did not check it thoroughly through a machine but I can feel it beating inside my chest which normally I do not feel before meals, and I can also feel it in my throat area which is a little frightening because I feel I am gonna have a heart attack or something!!

It started 5 years ago, I had my normal dinner and took a cup of black tea with milk as I normally used to do, but that night after an hour I felt a sudden increase in my HR and it did increase with time and reached to a limit that I thought it is the time when people have heart attacks, I was about 22 at that time, it was not just increase in HR but also cold sweats, and shaking in my hands and feet and I thought that my hand and legs were about to freeze or breathless or sleepy, this effect lasted for about 3 hours and I thought I was about to die, that morning I went to doctor and he said it is not that much to be worried about and told me that I was still young to have a heart disease or something, and he took it lightly, but the following days my stomach was in bad order and it lasted about 3 months, not the HR but the stomach condition.

One thing I was sure that my HR was directly related to the stomach condition and yes it is because my HR is constant and normal but sometimes and yes sometimes after having meals I feel my heart beat rapid, and even I can hear it outside my chest and also in my neck region.

After so much research on the web I concluded that eating certain foods may increase HR which includes coffee, rice, salty or spicy foods, soda, energy drinks etc. and people this is absolutely right because after reading this I just monitored my food intake and yes whenever I ate spicy foods, rice, energy drinks and soda, it increased my HR.

Through my experience I assume that:
1- Do not eat heavy meals on an empty stomach.
2- Do not drink after having meals especially soda or even water.
3- Always drink water before eating and only a half glass.
4- Do not eat spicy, salty or sugary food all at once.
5- Do not eat a combination of rice + soda.
6- Do not use energy drinks or even soda on empty stomach.
7- Even if you are starving to death, do not eat with your stomach full but a little, you can eat after a short break of 30 minutes or an hour if you are still feeling hunger.
8- Ad I am a Muslim so I will suggest you all to follow a famous saying of our Prophet MOHAMMAD S.A.W, which is:

"Do divide your stomach into three parts, 1st for food, 2nd for water and 3rd for water" which means that do not eat much when your stomach does not find any space for digestion but eat less as much as you can.
9- Always drink water even when you feel hungry, yes it is not a typing mistake when you feel hungry and you drink water will somehow cover your stomach's space and will decrease your hunger and your food intake.

Why I suggested all these things to follow related to stomach but not to heart directly? Because our digestion has a high impact on our HR, when we eat heavy meals or energetic meals, the stomach has to do hard work, not only the stomach but the whole body and since HEART is the main organ of pumping blood and supply then certainly it has to pay the price, i.e. to supply as much blood as it can, so what will happen? It will beat as fast as it can to supply more and more blood, which will increase HR and BP.

CONCLUSION!! When something like this occurs, do not get panic because panicking increases HR even more and the effect seems as a heart attack which is not even close to it. Consider this as a normal activity of the body which happens to some people who are normal including me and most importantly eat less as much as you can, drink water and avoid salty, spicy food and especially soda and energy drinks.
Be happy guys, enjoy every second of your life, do not waste it worrying about issues which are not worth to be worried about... :) hope it helps!!

  
Helpful - 1
2 Comments
a little correction here, "Do divide your stomach into 3 parts, 1st for food, 2nd for water and 3rd for air"
One thing to add, do check your sleeping routine, if it is disturbed then you will have this impact as doubled, so try to sleep at least 7 hours
Avatar universal
blood type diet addresses this.  eating right 4 your type explains a lot about how what you eat effects a lot in your body. you metabolize food differently than other blood types.  I am o positive and cannot eat corn or wheat gluten or vinegar.  When I do, I get the same symptoms as you do.  Its just how you metabolize food.  heres a link to the website for dr dadamo, who was one of the pioneers of the diet.  it works.
http://www.4yourtype.com/?gclid=CJ3tu6bGoskCFYhefgodYpwPZQ
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Avatar universal
Yes, and rarely do doctors consider doing the test.  But, I know anecdotaly of people who were told it was anxiety, but they truly had a serious disorder.-  It is relatively new as a diagnosis and many doctors still do not know much about it.  
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Avatar universal
interesting thing about the vagus nerve and its correlation to the heart rate and increased blood pressure.  I had a vagotomy and have experienced major heart increase and higher blood pressure.  Mine happens immediately as I only have 1/3 of a stomach.  I am now on benazepril as well as the beta blocker metoprolol.   It helps but is still not perfect.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Hey jay, I have been there and am currently dealing with getting my blood pressure down , anxiety steels life from us. Just want to encourage you to trust in Jesus Christ ,  when you think about what  everyone is posting on here about how food can quickly change what your body is doing. Think about how quickly it can change spiritually . Blessings
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1 Comments
Having the same issues as Jay up there.  When you pray, remember me and pray for me too.  Jesus is my rock and salvation
Avatar universal
im 36 yrs old and anytime after a meal and i climb a stairs my bp and heart rate goes mental varys up to 167/97/121-180/100-130 im on lecalpin 10 mg a day for bp my usual is around 140s-150 throught day in the mornings ive a good bp 120s i have anxiety problems also cause of all dis ended up in emergency room numerous times with panic attacks or with strange pains in chest or lungs its ruined my life i suffer with my stomach also and take 40 mg nexium also i have right bundle branch block in my heart,hematomachrosis high iron in my blood which i get venisections to drain blood,a dudodenal ulcer aswel so i have alot goin on stress cause of all of this is huge sick of seeing doctors never get a straight answer
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Same thing with me.  I'm so tired of visiting the ER and I never get any answers other than they tell me it's anxiety.  In my case it is not.  I hope you are better
Avatar universal
I have increased BP after taking food especially rice. Salts and Chinese food.
I have also proteinurea and kidney stones.
I am taking telmesartan 20mg daily
I am 5 feet 10 inches high and weighs 64kgs I lost weight from 72 kgs to 64 within 6 months of time.
How to recover from this discomfort?
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Googled this because I was having exact same issue. Glad to read everyones post. I am 53 and I do not have HBP nor am I diabetic but I am sedentary. (Use my brain like an Olympic athlete but not so much my body). I am going to try the smaller meals method and set my alarm on my phone to get up and move every 45 minutes. Am taking a high grade fish oil, Vit. E, Multi-vitamin (from a health food store) and thinking of adding Pantothenic Acid and Vit. C.  I am also doubling my effort to get outside for 15 minutes of sunshine for my Vit. D.
Thank you!!!!
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Avatar universal
Increase Heart Rate and BP After Every Meal- I think I have figured out that it may have something to do with my digestive system.  Doctor has put me on high-blood pressure meds.  He will check me in two weeks.  I will ask that he prescribe a colonoscopy  and other test that will look at my digestive system. I prefer not to keep hourly checks on my BP and heart rate-it tends to make me more anxious.  I am so amazed that so many has the same problem and most has not been able to get a diagnosis of what is causing it.  I will keep all posted with results of my test.
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
How did it go ? I hope it went well.
Avatar universal
I have been reading a lot about it but find that no treatment is yet found for it

I have been having the same problem for 3 years, But I could not make out why do I have a racing heart and high BP when I am active and all my cardiac Profile is normal. My HR after a meal goes up to 130bpm and a BP of 160/90.

I have problems when I wake up in the morning. Empty stomach : HR 118 and BP 160/100. But this happens sometimes. My Doctor put me on Beta Blockers 5mg a day. I am also hypertensive and I take losartan-H 50 mg a day.

I went into an Acute phase just a month ago after a symptom holiday of almost 6 months. It started with an upset stomach and a racing heart rate and high BP. But surprisingly it would subside for sometime after I used the Rest room.

This is when I discovered that the problem is related to my digestive tract. So I would  took 20ml of Aluminum  Hydroxide and surprisingly with in 5 minutes the symptoms would sup-side.

So I decided to treat myself with Ayurveda. On one of my visit to India I met an Ayurveda doctor, who told me a simple treatment which has no side effects and anyone can try it.

Every morning take a table spoon (heaped) of cumin seeds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumin) chew them and swallow them with a glass of water. He said the effect will start showing in 30 days. I have started it and I find my bowl movements improving and I do not get the racing heart rate after a meal many times. But I am taking it for only 10 days now.

And Yes ! He also said that if your situation is Acute add a tea-spoon  of carom ( Bishops weed) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajwain) to the dose. I am just trying the cumin seed therapy and it seems to work but time will tell.

If you try this out please post your experiences here so that we all can make this problem solved.

Best wishes to every one
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
i shall incorporate Cumin in my cookings
Avatar universal
Wow I am very glad to have found these posts as they have given me some food for thought. Since I was a young girl (16) I have experienced high heart rate 20-30 minutes after eating. My heart rate rises as high as 140 bpm. If I have the misfortune of being anywhere but home when this occurs and have to walk anywhere it is scary. My legs burn with muscle exhaustion from just walking, I can't even lift my arms to try and do anything because they feel as though they are filled with led. Worse is when I have an attack and it's hot outside, or I'm in the hot shower, because then I experience pain in my chest as well. I have gone to the doctors repeatedly, but when I was checked out I hadn't recently eaten, (hence no symptoms). One doctor prescribed an antacid, and a beta-blocker. My father also had identical symptoms. The doctors told my father it was acid reflux, and so for a year he too was taking prescribed antacids/inhibitors until one night he woke up with severe chest pains. Thirty minutes later he was dead. My father had told me many times that he'd had this problem since he was a young man. I even have an old family photo of him and my dad was the only one not smiling in the bunch, to which my dad told me one day "I was having one of our attacks, and wasn't feeling well." I worry that I too will meet the same fate as my dad. :(  Acid reflux...really?!
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Have you been able to get any answers?  
Avatar universal
I have the same symptoms as you , however, I have multiple food allergies and I only get these symptoms when I eat those foods that am allergic to. I describe it as the alarms (rapid heart rate) sounding off for the intruders (allergens).
Good luck!
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I have the same symptoms as you , however, I have multiple food allergies and I only get these symptoms when I eat those foods that am allergic to. I describe it as the alarms (rapid heart rate) sounding off for the intruders (allergens).
Good luck!
Helpful - 1
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