Bradycardia

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il padrone
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Bradycardia

Postby il padrone » Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:17 pm

Went along to the hospital today for a pre-admission clinic for minor surgery. When they did the ECG the nurse later asked "Do you do exercises?"

I was hesitant and responded "Well not really" as I'm not big on specific exercise of the push-ups, 4BX variety. Then I said "But I do cycle a fair bit". The nurse was happier about that, when I told her how much I ride she said "Oh, yes that's exercise!"

It turns out the ECG print-out gave a warning of "Abnormal heart rate - sinus bradycardia". This is a slow heart rate, which can be a real concern for 'normal' people ie. unfit. It turns out that a normal rate is 60-100 bpm, which surprises me, and my rate was 48. But for fit people it is not such a concern as it is indicative of a vey efficient heart function - a better heart function means fewer strokes required.

I've also always had low blood pressure and for example, when crouching down for a time (eg, looking at a book on a low shelf, working on my bike) and I stand up suddenly, I see stars and get a bit light-headed. Again something that makes the nurses worried, when my bp is say 100/55, which is only a little low for me. They suddenly drag out the saline drip and prop up the foot of the bed :lol:
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Nobody
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby Nobody » Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:01 am

il padrone wrote:I've also always had low blood pressure and for example, when crouching down for a time (eg, looking at a book on a low shelf, working on my bike) and I stand up suddenly, I see stars and get a bit light-headed.
I don't see stars but often can get light-headed, a bit dizzy and an unwell feeling for a few seconds. Yet I don't have a slow heartbeat or low blood pressure. Might be something to do with mild dehydration in my case.

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barefoot
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby barefoot » Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:49 am

Seems a common "complaint" for cyclists.

Lots more discussion over here: http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 49&t=67797" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My doctor runs a lot. He wasn't at all concerned about my sub-40 BPM heart rate... partly because he has one too. With no negative symptoms to report, it's not a problem.

tim

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ColinOldnCranky
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:30 am

I would think that a heart rate around 50 should leave their GP with no concern after establishing that the subject exercises a lot along with other physical observations that support that. WHich is what seems to have happened inthe OPs case.

My GP just murmurs in awe. All very flattering really. I intend to awe him for a lot longer still. :mrgreen:
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malnar
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby malnar » Thu Feb 27, 2014 1:17 pm

Same experience whenever I get my pulse checked. Wonder if it would be lower still if I ever had no caffeine in my system.

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InTheWoods
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby InTheWoods » Thu Feb 27, 2014 1:21 pm

il padrone wrote:It turns out the ECG print-out gave a warning of "Abnormal heart rate - sinus bradycardia". This is a slow heart rate, which can be a real concern for 'normal' people ie. unfit. It turns out that a normal rate is 60-100 bpm, which surprises me, and my rate was 48. But for fit people it is not such a concern as it is indicative of a vey efficient heart function - a better heart function means fewer strokes required.

I've also always had low blood pressure and for example, when crouching down for a time (eg, looking at a book on a low shelf, working on my bike) and I stand up suddenly, I see stars and get a bit light-headed. Again something that makes the nurses worried, when my bp is say 100/55, which is only a little low for me. They suddenly drag out the saline drip and prop up the foot of the bed :lol:
Yep, my resting HR was in the low-mid 40's when I was riding a lot last year. And I also get the same problem with seeing stars. Not sure how much of the blood pressure thing is exercise vs genetics as my Dad has low blood pressure too, and while active , he doesn't "exercise". His doctor told him to add more salt to his diet!

Calvin27
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby Calvin27 » Thu Feb 27, 2014 1:30 pm

Wow, I must do more of this cycling thing. I thought the idea was you keep buying stuff to chuck on your bike?

I'd be interested to see how much riding everyone does and at what intensity. I am pretty active but (probably due to poor genetics) have a heart rate of about 58 at rest, my blood pressure is 140 - stupidly high for my age and nothing I do budges it. I've tried high intensity sport/riding and then the alternate slow and long rides. Nothing works.
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Constantheadwind
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby Constantheadwind » Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:42 pm

Worst of all young man
you have
Athletic Heart Syndrome.

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Re: Bradycardia

Postby eeksll » Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:50 pm

Nobody wrote:
il padrone wrote:I've also always had low blood pressure and for example, when crouching down for a time (eg, looking at a book on a low shelf, working on my bike) and I stand up suddenly, I see stars and get a bit light-headed.
I don't see stars but often can get light-headed, a bit dizzy and an unwell feeling for a few seconds. Yet I don't have a slow heartbeat or low blood pressure. Might be something to do with mild dehydration in my case.
I also get this every now and them.

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blokeinamoke
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby blokeinamoke » Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:59 am

low bp and bradycardia are fine, IF YOU'RE BODY CAN HANDLE IT. The fittest person i know is a Aussie rep lightweight rower, shes 57kg, skin and bone, HR of 42bpm and bp (which still scares me) of 85/40... but it suits her fine. i imagine i would be dead with the same vitals. I have noticed as im trying to fitten up that my resting hr has dropped around 12-15bpm currently sitting just under 60. Ditto with bp, i used to be mild-hypertensive around 145/90 (for a 25yr old that scared me) fast forward 6 months, 25kg dropped, bp is textbook 120/80. I am a nurse, i see alot of funny vital signs and have to question every single time. Saw a bloke last week, came in for a simple procedure, bp was 225/120... That was his regular BP, no headaches, no pain, no tachycardia... just freaky man...
Like i said, if your body can tolerate it, it will. If something starts to feel funny go to a gp or emergency straight away.

seeing stars and little dots + feeling light headed could be hypovolumia (just low fluid volume level) it affects more than you think. Have a sit down and a big cold glass of your poison to fix that up :)
(disclaimer: am a nurse, not a doctor, i can give my advice from experience and education, not diagnosis.)

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barefoot
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby barefoot » Fri Feb 28, 2014 2:15 pm

blokeinamoke wrote:lSaw a bloke last week, came in for a simple procedure, bp was 225/120... That was his regular BP, no headaches, no pain, no tachycardia... just freaky man..
That bloke needs to start on a high-sodium diet to harden his arteries up a bit, if he's going to run them at that sort of pressure!

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toolonglegs
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:08 pm

I actually worry a bit about mine... last test put me in the "extreme bradycardia" level, under 30 when being tested with spikes showing up where they shouldn't which was more worrying than the low rate. Also a very large heart and a leaky valve. But blood pressure is always fine and I very rarely get light headed. Hit my max HR of 185 last Saturday, I was actually happy about this as 4 years ago my max was 194, then haven't had a HR monitor till last October or so when I couldn't get my HR over 175, so I was surprised that my max had dropped so much.
Anyway not much I can do so will keep rolling... every year here you must sit a medical to get a racing license, if the doc gave me the OK then it can't be too bad :roll: .

Dr_Mutley
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby Dr_Mutley » Fri Feb 28, 2014 7:20 pm

Mitral valve?

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toolonglegs
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Feb 28, 2014 7:37 pm

Not 100% sure, but I think so. Was first picked up by an anesthesiologist about 5 years ago... a little tick as he put it at the time.
Also my Mum has had a valve replacement.

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skull
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby skull » Fri Feb 28, 2014 7:54 pm

TLL. My old man had similar. He was lucky they found out during his regular medical for work. Ended up having a triple bypass to fix it.

If it wasn't for his work medical they would never have had to do a stress test and the first thing he would have known about it was a heart attack.

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Last edited by skull on Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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foo on patrol
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby foo on patrol » Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:39 pm

I have the leaky valve thingy and need to keep an eye on it. The Dr said there be no problem yet but need to monitor it. :wink:

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Dr_Mutley
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby Dr_Mutley » Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:15 pm

Keep an eye on the valve function with a echocardiogram with your cardiologist ever year or 2, as it doesn't take long for a leaky valve in an athlete to bugger your heart. You end up with a big floppy heart that doesn't pump well, and prone to various arrythmias...

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RideLikeTheWind
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby RideLikeTheWind » Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:11 pm

I hav a resting heart rate of 46. I go to give blood regularly and last time I had to get clearance to give as it was about 42. Not such a big deal once they found out I do about 150-200km a week on the bike.
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jules21
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Re: Bradycardia

Postby jules21 » Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:12 pm

il padrone - same deal with me. last time i was in hospital they gave me a local anesthetic* and then took my HR at 45 bpm, got worried, consulted with doc who said "yes, the anesthetic can slow it down" and i'm thinking "here we go again" and said to them "i do a lot of cycling" but they were happy with their explanation so i didn't quarrel.. :)

* i think, from memory

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