Today I bought a fitness tracker with heart monitor as advised, and decided to try it out with a brisk walk the long way round the block.
I checked it about 15 mins into the walk and realised that I needed to set it to 'workout - walking', which I then did.
My results are quite surprising, as I knew my heart was getting high, but not this high. I was only walking, and could have talked (albeit a bit breathlessly). Incidentally, the last section is uphill which is why my HR peaked at the end.
The monitor considered my exercise as anaerobic, which I'm sure walking should not be.
Is it usual to get such a high reading when on beta blockers?
Thanks again folks!
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nickym1
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"For example, say your age is 45 and you want to figure out your target heart rate zone for vigorous exercise using the Heart Rate Reserve(HRR) method. Follow these steps:
First, subtract 45 from 220 to get 175 — this is your maximum heart rate.
Next, check your resting heart rate first thing in the morning. Say it's 80 beats per minute. Calculate your HRR by subtracting 80 from 175. Your HRR is 95.
Multiply 95 by 0.7 (70%) to get 66.5, then add your resting heart rate of 80 to get 146.5.
Now multiply 95 by 0.85 (85%) to get 80.75, then add your resting heart rate of 80 to get 160.75.
Your target heart rate zone for vigorous exercise is 146.5 to 160.75 beats per minute.
How to tell if you're in the zone
So how do you know if you're in your target heart rate zone? You can use an activity tracker to check your heart rate regularly while you exercise.
Or use these steps to check your heart rate during exercise:
Stop briefly.
Take your pulse for 15 seconds. To check your pulse over your carotid artery, place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist.
Multiply this number by 4 to calculate your beats per minute."
Okay, for you that is optimum. For people with a heart beating problem, I do not recommend bicycling. Here's why (I'm one who shouldn't be on a bicycle): First of all if you're not in good shape for cycling, what happens is you overdo it when cycling up a small hill. Hills are everywhere - slight inclines are everywhere. In my case when cycling up a small hill, about twenty seconds worth of vigorous pushing the pedal, it takes my fast beating heart more than an hour to stop beating really hard. If one has a Afib, well it's not good. If one had an ablation, do you really want tempt fate?
Hi Dawsonmackay, should imagine it's horses for courses old chap. So you will do whatever you're happy and comfortable doing. For me keeping exercise simple is key.
Actually, my EP nurse practitioner suggested that of all exercising, walking in a swimming pool is much easier on the joints than even cycling. So, no, swimming or cycling in the pool. No wading or fishing either. Just walking.
You don't have to answer this one Dawson. How old are you if you don't mind me asking ? I have just now returned home after a ride round west London, and glad to say I beat the rain. Best wishes Chris-the-bike.
Here's the short answer: I loved bicycling until I had a serious accident that I realized going 30 mph or more or less, I could think of myself as a projectile. I am self-employed, and due to the nature of the accident, my wife had to take off six weeks from her job to help me. In the hospital, they wanted me to take a painkiller which for three refused and then finally acquiesced. Ten minutes later, I fainted because of my Afib and had to stay overnight. This accident occurred because I was blind in one eye and didn't realize it due to the fact of taking prednisone two years earlier. I would like to jump on bicycle again but NOT! BTW, I am 69.
Thanks Dawson, accidents can and do set one back considerably, I should know, have had plenty. But I get back on bike as soon as possible and find this a quick cure (that's how it works for me anyway) realise this may not work for everyone. Chris-the-bike
Hiya, I am 70 so my maximum heart rate is 150. I am on Apixaban, Atorvastatin and Losartan. My resting heart rate in the morning is around 50 rising to high 50s-low 60s. I go to the gym x3 per week and use the cycle, cross-trainer and treadmill. After half an hour or more of pushing myself quite hard my heart rate never rises above about 112 - 114 and drops quite quickly when I rest to about 80 then down to my normal. I check by using the monitors on the machines and by taking my pulse at the wrist. I didn't start exercising until I retired at 65 so can't be classed as a super athlete, wish I could. I am confused whether I should be pushing harder to get 'in the zone' or not to get maximum benefit from cardio exercises. I have asked the trainers at the gym but they don't seem to really know and say 'just see how you feel'. I said 'what if I pass out? to which one replied 'ah don't worry, you will wake up to me giving you a lovely kiss!
Have you done a Cardio rehab course through your local hospital/fitness centre? I found this invaluable although my fitness level was above others there and the first term of classes was way to easy I still picked up tips. Moving on over the year on the course we moved into the gym and worked up to better fitness. I have a fit bit but find it doesn't work well when working out so have purchased a HR monitor from a sports shop which gives abetter reading - mine doesn't give a print out like yours as it only cost about £5 but has a chest strap and a wrist monitor which I check to try and keep my HR down to 120 whilst exercising when I am in AF - which I am at the moment awaiting a cardioversion and on the list for an ablation. I go to the gym nearly every day to do a short workout and do a few minutes on bike, cross trainer, rower and resistance training. Exercise is good but maybe at the start should be supervised which is where the cardio rehab classes come into their own.
Nope. No cardio rehab course. My condition is ISC, so one appointment with cardio consultant to discuss results of 24 hr monitor, prescribed beta blockers and no follow up. Thus a little lost.
I compared the fitness tracker with my phone app HR monitor, and they were identical. And when my Dad was an inpatient in cardiology I compared the reading of my HR phone app to his hospital reading, and they were the same too. So I'm fairly happy that I'm getting a true result. In fact I'm thoroughly impressed with it so far!
I definitely feel I need some supervision with exercise going forward and will seek GP advice.
Your GP should be able to refer you to the Cardio Rehab courses they are either held at a local hospital or leisure centre. Ask your GP to refer you. I found out by accident from someone no one told me about it but GP who diagnosed me obviously knew about it and referred me.
If they don't know it might be worth checking on BHF website to see if there is anywhere in your area doing it too. That's how I found out when I moved house.
Hi Nicky, I'm a keen runner & cyclist in recovery after my first ablation and have been on beta blockers as it doesn't look like it has worked. Whilst recognising that everybody's cases are different it is true that the heart rate you are getting whilst walking, even if it's vigorous, is VERY high. This is especially true if you are on beta blockers as they generally suppress the heart rate.
I'd be cautious about putting your heart under such strain, an average of 148bpm is what would usually only be reached in a pretty hard run / bike ride / workout. I'd suggest seeking further advice on this.
Of course it could be your heart rate monitor not picking up correctly so check this by taking a reading then doing a manual pulse count for 30secs(x2) or 1 minute to check it's accuracy. Wrist monitors are notoriously unreliable unless you use a chest strap monitor alongside.
It's a pleasure Nicky, I'm 54 and have been a very, very fit & active sportsperson all my life. Which could well be why I have developed AF !! But having not done any real exercise for over 12 months now I share your frustration, it's the mental side we miss as much as the physical. Look after yourself.
I had an ablation in Jan 19 and have had 3 episodes of AF since - 2 of them in the "blanking period" - the first 3 months after the opp which is fairly common, the third time was after a week holiday where I'd had a few drinks each day. Also had been on the bike but I'm blaming the alcohol. I would recommend "The Haywire Heart " book by John Mandrola MD a race cycling cardiologist. Exercise is a drug and like any drug you can overdose! So it's about getting the balance right. I went out with some guys who were pretty good and competitive side of me kicked in- I didn't feel it at the time but my heart hurt every day for about a month after it so jut trying to find the safe limits to go to. Have an appointment with cardiologist this week so I'll ask what he thinks about doing too much. I'm 61 and rugby, then running now cycling.
Hi there, you don’t say what your fitness level is and how regularly you walk, nor whether you have any other medical issues. There may be a clue in your comment that you were a bit breathless during the walk. If you are unaccustomed to brisk exercise and this was more than you usually do, then your heart working harder is not necessarily unexpected. Perhaps just not quite that high, unless you are unfit or had recently eaten or been ill etc. All of these can contribute.
I also agree with others above that wrist monitors are not that reliable, although the technology is improving all the time (I use a strap).
Finally - and this is in no way meant to change any of the sensible courses of action suggested above - the 220 minus your age to calculate your max HR is VERY generic (likewise the formula that calculates which zone you’re exercising in) and usually carries disclaimers. It certainly doesn’t apply to me, during vigorous exercise my average is often in the range considered by this formula to be my max. Some people can have a naturally high heart rate during exercise (although not as high on beta blockers)
I hope you find your answers and they set your mind at ease.
At 40 in 2013 I had surgery and treatment for thyroid cancer. Also gynae problems had begun, resulting in full abdominal hysterectomy in 2016. The HR issue has been becoming more and more apparent since my thyroidectomy until diagnosis in 2019.
In my youth I was a gymnast, and trained hard for years. An athlete. Very fit.
Up until my thyroid issues, I would run a couple of times per week. Not far, just 30 minutes or so.
Since thyroid removal I've suffered fatigue and exercise intolerance. It simply wipes me out. Although my job, 3 days a week is very active, and I've remained an active person as much as possible, I haven't 'exercised' for some time.
I feel that if I don't start something now, I never will.
I also found that last weekend as I was getting ready to go out for lunch with friends, I was a little jittery/breathless and found my resting HR was 103. This was an hour or so after taking my beta blocker. So I feel that something is not right.
Ah yes, apologies, I only saw this post in isolation. I would agree that something is not right, hopefully it will be something easily rectified. Best of luck..keep us posted.
I’ve found modern heart fitness monitors very accurate, especially the chest strap monitors. That is what I was advised to use on rehab. I don’t find the Apple Watch all that accurate though, but good enough for what I want these days. The best wrist one was the FitBit - trouble is they fall apart so quickly.
I think Chris made some excellent points, I agree it would be good to show this to your cardiologist & maybe seek guidance.
How quickly your pulse returns to resting rate is also a factor. I certainly get runs of tachycardia when I have just done more than my heart wants me to. It’s annoying but I’ve learned that my heart is far more intelligent than I am so I now listen to my heart rather than my mind.
Frustrating though when you don’t want to slow down and used to pushing through.
I find that my fitbit which is about 2 years old now and was the newest on the market at the time gives a great reading for normal things but when I try to get it to give my heart rate whilst exercising it doesn't give the correct one at that time - though when I check the chart afterwards it is fine. However, the chest strap and watch kind gives the actual heart rate straight away. When not exercising I can compare the two and both give the same readings. So although the fit bit is fine I find it no good when I am cycling away to just press it and get a true reading at that moment in time. Does that make sense?
Yes it does make sense. However I have mine set to monitor continuously, which I feel it's doing well - although not been tested manually yet. Will attempt that today for confirmation.
Try and google GP exercise referral course - it covered all kinds of exercises for people who had certain conditions including AF. Most of the studies were done on a collective group basis offering the best exercises that worked for people with AF. The finding were based on the 'American College of Sports Medicine book'
That's high for walking. Unless it's a good HRM like Polar, static electricity from your clothes, skin resistivity can affect it. Warm up for at least five minutes before walking briskly, then check the pulse in your neck for 15 seconds and multiply by 4, then compare that figure with the pulse readout on your fitness tracker.
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