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HR Jumping during exercise - No symptoms

During exercise noticed that my heart rate monitor (polar) suddently jumped and gave odd readings (220+). At first I put this down to a faulty watch, as I have no symptoms whatsoever. However using different watches etc, I have found that I can replicate the issue 100% of the time. During rest, pulse is approx 70. During light exercise it increases to approx 118, and during intense exercise, suddenly jumps to 220+. After stopping for a minute, it suddenly drops back to about 118.

I suspect it is a for of AVNRT, ecg after excercise is attached below. Anyone else had or seen something similar.?

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86819 tn?1378947492
Hi.  Your ecg seems to have downward sloping st segment.  What did your cardiologist say about this?  I am just curious.  I am a runner myself and have a similar pattern there.  Getting different ideas depending on who I talk to.  It has to have a certain measurement to be significant though.
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1807132 tn?1318743597
I would say if you can replicate it 100% of the time then go see a cardiologist and ask for a stress echo and or monitor that you wear all the time for a day or a month.  You want to catch what your heart is doing while you are in the fast beat not after.  This should tell whether it is afib, accessory pathway or none of the above.  Best of luck getting it sorted out.
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Avatar universal
Bob, my EP said that the cause for the SVT was a slow pathway very close to the A/V node.  My SVT only began during strenuous exercise (running or cycling).  I remember SVT symptoms during running races in my 20s(felt the same, but didn't have a heart rate monitor then)- 60 years old now.  My EP did an ablation last March- brief runs of SVT continued for about 3 months for me, then stopped.  But, I continue to have more frequent single ectopic beats, only during exercise- not certain what those are, maybe PVCs or PACs.  Good luck to you.
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Avatar universal
ECG immediately after exercise at the link below.

https://www.************/photo.php?fbid=618505151608724&set=p.618505151608724&type=1&theater
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1569985 tn?1328247482
I don't trusts the polar monitors.  Mine showed a heart rate that went up like crazy and that turned out to be false.  My cardiologist said get rid of it and go by how you feel.
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1423357 tn?1511085442
Bob, I had near lifelong SVT which was eliminated by ablation as I was approaching 60.  My first episode was at 6, and plagued me thereafter throughout my life.  I learned to cope and adapt to it, but always challenged it by participating in sports which demanded short bursts or intense physical output.  I avoided things which required extended periods of high heart rates as they were often triggers for SVT episodes; sports like basketball, soccer, and distance running.

While it's often difficult to determine what kind of SVT you may have, AVNRT or AVRT, the latter leaves some clues, and the electrophysiologists thought I had AVRT, most likely Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.  It wasn't until they were able to map my heart that they determined that it wasn't WPW, but another kind of AVRT called Circus Movement Tachycardia.

The ablation literally gave me a life free of SVT, a life that I barely remember.  While it came too late to  have any impact on my amateur skating and cycling career, it has allowed me to totally forget about the possibility of SVT episodes and really put it out there as much as a 60 year old man can give.  Before, the possibility of an event occurring was always in the back of my head.  Now, I've all but forgotten about it, and that is a great feeling.
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Avatar universal
Thanks EJhnson, did you find a cause for your SVT, What treatment, did you have?
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Avatar universal
Bob, you posted:" I have tried to palpate the pulse, and found that it just feels like light vibration which can not be counted, after stopping exercise and feeling the wrist the pulse suddenly come back strong."

I suspected SVT/AVNRT myself, during running, on my Polar HRM.  To double check, I carried a small, wrist cuff blood pressure monitor with me during a run.  When I felt SVT and also saw it on my Polar HRM, I immediately stopped my running and checked my BP and pulse rate by using the wrist-type BP monitor.  It confirm exactly the same rate as indicated on my Polar HRM.  Later, my EP/Cardiologist also confirmed SVT.
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Avatar universal
I used to have a slow resting HR (maybe 50bpm), but since I have noticed this issue, my resting pulse is about 75, during very light exercise it doesn't really increase, if working harder does to about 118 (but no where inbetween - 75 - 118), and if I push harder still we get the sudden jump to 220 (and a sudden jump back to 118 when stopping). Resting ECG appears to be a normal sinus rhythm.
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Avatar universal
I have used polar, and a couple of other devices - all give the same result. I have tried to palpate the pulse, and found that it just feels like light vibration which can not be counted, after stopping exercise and feeling the wrist the pulse suddenly come back strong. I have no symptoms, and in fact I am fitter, and running more that I have ever done before.
Helpful - 0
1423357 tn?1511085442
A sinus rhythm of 220 is not completely out of the realm of possibilities.  Using an early Polar monitor back in the mid 90's, I could get my sinus rate up to 200 during extreme physical output such as breakaway skating sprints.  So I think that's possible.

One thing that I'm pretty sure of is that it's not possible is for you to not feel an SVT event as what is experienced when you have AVNRT or AVRT.  I had the latter all of my life until 4 years ago, and I can tell you that (I think) that it's impossible to not feel an event.  I could even feel them if I broke into SVT during high sinus rates.  It's an unmistakable "heart in your throat" feeling with the skin below your sternum literally vibrating at 3 or 4 times per second and greater.  Likewise dropping out of SVT, whether it's spontaneous or by using something like Valsalva is again, an unmistakable feeling; that sudden "quietness" within you chest.

Personally, I would not trust the Polar.  I'd palpate the pulse in the wrist or the carotid artery in the neck to verify and/or measure your pulse.

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1807132 tn?1318743597
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