Since receiving a Fitbit for Christmas I have been recording a resting heart rate of mid 40’s, the last few days this has gone down to 41. I am currently doing a weekly circuit training and 5km parkruns and feel OK but I wondered if such a low heart rate is something to be concerned about or could this just be down to better fitness levels?
Previously my heart rate was typically mid 50’s while on Bisoprolol
Hello Peter
Improved fitness levels maybe part of it, but your meds may also be having some effect. It might be worth a chat with your GP if it goes any lower than 41 as, even for a fit individual, that’s pretty low.
I started on Bisoprolol back in May 2015 when my average heart rate went from 66 to mid 50's, this stayed pretty constant until about last Nov but I have been increasing my exercising levels throughout last year.
It might be worth having a conversation about reducing you bisoprolol level. All things being well, I will be having that conversation with my GP in the next couple of months and my resting heart rate is typically 50bpm and has come down as I have got fitter.
I had this problem and my Dr took me off metropolol which I assume is the same. It was for blood pressure. I get very tired when my heart rate goes below 45.
I was starting to wonder if I was going into hibernation!
Yes its worrying when it gets that low :-). My cardiologist started BBs when my RHB was in mid 50s. I was little worried as its was low already (due to fitness) but he suggested that we trial BBS to see how my body tolerate the meds. It has been roller coaster ride for me, some days i am fine and could go out and have fantastic run but equally there are days where i just feel that i would not want to get of bed!
As other people have said, you should consult your doctor. Mine reduced my dosage of bisoprolol when my heart rate went that low. Years ago, I was in intensive care, every time my HR went below 40 (when I started falling asleep) it set all the alarms off.
Same!
Hi PeterJemmett,
A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm), whilst resting. If it is bellows 50 it is classified as sinus bradycardia. This is a regular but unusually slow heart beat. Sinus bradycardia can be the result of many things including good physical fitness and medications. "Sinus" refers to the sinus node, the heart's natural pacemaker which creates the normal regular heartbeat. "Bradycardia" means that the heart rate is slower than normal. A resting heart rate slower than 60 beats a minute is normal for some people, particularly healthy young adults and trained athletes. For them, bradycardia isn't considered a health problem.
If you have any concerns about this, please ask your GP about having an ECG test done.
Take care,
Emily
I have contacted my GP surgery and they have suggested taking a series of readings at home on my BP monitor over the next week. My first reading is ...... 38
So far I have taken 5 readings on my blood pressure monitor and the average is coming out at 39.4 but what I have found is a consistency between what I am recording on the BP monitor and my Fitbit.
A week of taking home readings which averaged around 40bpm and an ECG this morning, my GP has reduced my dose of Bisoprolol from 5mg to 2.5mg and now I will have to see how that goes for the next month. He says if my BP should increase too high then he is likely to up my dose of Candesartan.
An update to the above, I started taking new readings about 11 days after starting 2.5mg and my BP and heart rate actually dropped slightly, which I wasn't expecting, with averages of 105/61.5 and HR 39.6 - I then saw the nurse at the GP surgery who further reduced my Bisoprolol to 1.25mg and over the following 11 days the average readings were 111/65 and HR 41.3
This week I had my 18 month angioplasty clinic appointment with the cardiologist at Harefield hospital and he seemed happy with my progress though said he would like to monitor my low HR before discharging me.
My reply to HB-HB on the same issue
Definitely go and discuss with your GP. I was on Bisoprolol for over 10 years but after drastically changing my diet when I found I needed a bypass I lost 10 kg and was able to ‘control’ my BP and biomarkers without the need for pills. Came off the beta blocker first, my pulse was down to about 45 and I occasionally felt a little dizzy when I got up from sitting down for a while. Came off statins too a year later, now just on aspirin. I stated Parkrun in August and manage about 35 mins for 5k, so in my opinion you sound in perfect shape and if you are controlling your nutrition too you may not need all these pills. Do let us know how you get on.
See my reply to HB-HB on the same issue
Definitely go and discuss with your GP. I was on Bisoprolol for over 10 years but after drastically changing my diet when I found I needed a bypass I lost 10 kg and was able to ‘control’ my BP and biomarkers without the need for pills. Came off the beta blocker first, my pulse was down to about 45 and I occasionally felt a little dizzy when I got up from sitting down for a while. Came off statins too a year later, now just on aspirin. I stated Parkrun in August and manage about 35 mins for 5k, so in my opinion you sound in perfect shape and if you are controlling your nutrition too you may not need all these pills. Do let us know how you get on.
Things have moved on slightly since my last post. In Oct I was admitted into hospital for Gastroenteritis with Acute kidney injury (AKI), the hospital picked up my low heart rate and stopped my Bisoprolol. My heart rate went up to about 52 but has since settled at around 48.
I had an appointment with my Cardiologist at Harefield a couple of weeks ago and he wants me to restart a low dose of Bisoprolol due to some palpitations I have been experiencing.
I have covered this in my latest blog ... peterjemmett.blogspot.com/2...
Hello everyone, who are concerned about low heart rate, my heart rate will be low, during the night around 38/40. Also when testing but when moving , walking cycling it does go up. Usually in an afternoon it is at around the 66 mark. I have spoken to my Cardiologist and no concerns unless I have symptoms. I don't have, also had a hear monitor for 24 hours and an ECG. It did show up Bradycardia but as they did no concerns. I do have Ectopic s and occasionally palpitations. The Cardiologist said they were benign. Everyone is different take care, everyone.
I meant resting, slight error in my last post.
Low heart rate 
Low heart rate
low heart rate
NSTEMI and BP / Heart Rate
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