Heart problems?

[Jallora]

I bought a Sigma heart monitor a few weeks ago and started using it in my training. I realized pretty quickly that my heart rate seemed to be considerably higher than everyone else I'm riding with, and we're all fairly new riders. The instructions on the heart monitor also highly recommended seeing a physician and taking a stress test to determine your true max heart rate. So, I made an appointment for last Monday to get a physical and talk to my doctor about getting a stress test. As soon as I told her what my monitor showed as my average heart rate (158) and my max (189), she sent me immediately for an EKG. The EKG showed something "off" enough that she also sent me in for blood work, set me up for an Echo Cardiogram and set me up to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours...as well as setting up my stress test. I had the Echo Cardiogram last Tuesday, and the only thing the tech that did it would tell me is that it did show that I have a heart murmur. I've never been told that I have a heart murmur before, so I don't know if it's something to worry about yet or not. I'm scheduled to take my stress test tomorrow, and then I meet with the doctor again next week to go over all of my results. So far everyone at the doctor's office knows that I'm training for a century and what kind of riding I'm doing. No one has told me to slow up or stop doing anything, so I am continuing to train and use my heart monitor. I am seeing improvement. This weekend I rode 50 miles on Saturday and 32 on Sunday. My average heart rate was 148, and my max was 182.

Has anyone else discovered possible issues while training? Does anyone else have a heart murmur, and has it presented any problems as far as training goes?

Thanks!

Aimee

[Becky]

Wow, that's so crazy. Did your doc say why 158 ave. and 189 max concerned her? I routinely have average and max HRs in that range. FWIW, I receive an annual EKG for work, and it's always been normal.

Sorry that I can't be any help, but I'm glad to hear that you caught this early and are getting checked out.

[Zen]

Heart murmurs (mitral valve prolapse) are not uncommon and generally harmless.

[teawoman]

Wow, that's so crazy. Did your doc say why 158 ave. and 189 max concerned her? I routinely have average and max HRs in that range.

Yup, that's me too. And those numbers are lower than what they were before for me--~175/190.

Hope everything is ok with you!

[maillotpois]

one of my teammates just received the same diagnosis (the week before the Death Ride, mind you). her cardiologist did not tell her to stop riding, but she is watching her HR.

ironically, as we were doing the ride, she ran into a friend of her who'd also had the same diagnosis and ultimately had valve replacement surgery.

anyway, just make sure your doc knows what you are doing training wise and make sure they haven't got any limitations (which it seems they don't). you may have a more mild case.

[Tuckervill]

Are there other factors (age, weight, blood pressure) that may have made them take that action?

I think they must be factoring something else in.

Karen

[Jolt]

The heart rates in and of themselves don't necessarily sound to me like a big cause for concern either (my average and max HR routinely exceed that, particularly running) so there must be something else to the situation. What's your resting HR (and also how old are you)? Did they say what looked "off" on the EKG? As far as the echo, a "heart murmur" can be a lot of different things (technically a heart murmur is when there's an extra sound besides the lub-dub of a normal heartbeat, so the tech wasn't really using the term properly) some are serious, some are no problem at all. Another poster mentioned mitral valve prolapse; this is one that is usually not a problem unless the valve leaks significantly. Keep us posted.

[MyMoe]

I am a fairly new rider...have totally fallen in love with my bike. As part of a routine exam (I'm 52, diabetic and have heart problems in my family), the doctor had an EKG and other tests run...just as a base line and check on things. The EKG showed some plaque buildup and found a heart murmur. Long story short...then came the stress test.

The cardiologist in charge of this test was pleasantly surprised that I had a 65-68 resting heart rate. He just about fainted when I was on the treadmill...185 - 190. He asked that I walk as long as I felt I could. 10% - 12% incline...6-7 mph. I went for about 4 miles!! He was so impressed with the stamina, energy, and state of fitness this old girl was in!! He said I had a heart of a young person. He kept saying this over and over....surprised him an "old" woman that needs to lose some weight could be in such good shape...heart wise. He agreed that it was my riding that had helped keep me going.

I know this is a long post...but I have a murmur, some plaque buildup, and diabetic...and still ride as much as possible as often as possible!

[Bron]

Heart murmurs (mitral valve prolapse) are not uncommon and generally harmless.

I have one of these. It was picked up during a medical examination when I was 27, although, according to my cardiologist, I´ve had it since I was born and nobody noticed it up until then.

Ask your cardiologist if there are any reasons to be cautious and anything to be aware if in your particular case. Mine told me to do anything and everything that I usually do and just to go to her for a checkup every few years.

[teigyr]

I've had some unusual readings. Ages ago, a doctor thought I had mitral valve prolapse but didn't seem to think the HMO would approve a test for it. This was about 20 years ago and I was young and silly enough not to insist. Sometimes it felt like my heart would skip a beat, also.

This past spring, I got a physical after many years of not getting one. My primary care physician works in a sports medicine place and I mentioned that I would like to train for a marathon. I told him about my history. He found some unusual readings and my bloodwork showed inflammation. He did a stress test and it was inconclusive so he sent me to a cardiologist. The cardiologist I went to is (so I hear) the best one up here and works a lot with athletes.

The cardiologist gave me a stress test and it was inconclusive so he arranged for a stress test/echocardiogram.

During all this time, I was very nervous.

Turns out that after all the testing, it came back that I am fine. I am very healthy and he said he'll see me in 60 years or so and to have fun at the marathon.

My running HR can average from about 148 (which is about the zone they said) to higher if I'm pushing it. My upper ranges are 170-183. For cycling, it depends on the ride.

When I thought I might have problems, I did a lot of reading on mytral valve prolapse. While it depends on the severity of the "leakage" (icky word!), I got the impression that exercise was still a good thing. In between tests, before I knew what was going on, I still exercised. Nobody said I couldn't.

So...I'd say to continue what you're doing unless they say you can't. You never know, too, there might be nothing wrong. My cardiologist said that people are all different and some person's normal might include heartbeat variations.

One last thing re HRM's (and somebody correct me if I'm wrong) but I believe they don't register every beat. If my heart speeds up, it takes my HRM a bit to catch up to it, same goes for slowing. I've had cases where it'll go up to 174 and I KNOW it isn't still up there and it invariably goes back down. It could just be my make/model too.

Be straightforward with your training when you talk to your doctors, question things if you aren't sure what they mean or what your diagnosis is, and remember it might not be as bad as it seems.

[Bron]

One last thing re HRM's (and somebody correct me if I'm wrong) but I believe they don't register every beat. If my heart speeds up, it takes my HRM a bit to catch up to it, same goes for slowing. I've had cases where it'll go up to 174 and I KNOW it isn't still up there and it invariably goes back down. It could just be my make/model too.

I think it depends on the make. I have a Sigma, and I don't like it - heart rate seems to be all over the place and I don't like the watch. It was bought as a cheap stopgap while I saved up enough for the Polar or Suunto that I really want.

[teigyr]

I have a Polar that is a stopgap until I get that oh-so-lovely Garmin 405.

Jallora has a Sigma so maybe that's part of the problem? Did the 24 hour wearing of the doctor's HRM change things at all?

Jallora, how're things going. Do you have any updates?

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I have two different things in my heart that will give me a higher BPM when I a) don't hydrate correctly and b) have lower electrolytes.

One is mitral valve prolapse and the other is pvc (pre ventricular contractions or complexes depending on who you talk to). The pvcs are just irritating as they feel like there is a marble stuck in your heart. When I don't drink enough water or my electrolytes are off, it acts up and usually shows up as a higher HRM when I exercise.

Don't forget your HR is based on age too.

Hope it is something simple

[Ramdoride]

I have a congenital heart murmer, which appears only occasionally. I have struggled with heart rate issues ever since I started wearing a HRM six years ago. I am 57 now and at age 51 started taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to alleviate menopause symptoms. (Before anyone jumps me on this, I get migraines when I don't get regular estrogen. I'd rather worry about affects of HRT then have migraines). I also take synthroid, due to hypothyroidism.

The summer I started the HRT, my heart rate would get up to 160+ (I go anaerobic at 162) and not come down, even when I came off the bike. It would take at least 30 minutes to come down. Not very comfortable. I went to cardiologist and did all the tests and then back to my regular doc. He is the one that figured out that, with the HRT, my thyroid was overactive. He lowered my synthroid dose and I've had no real trouble like that until recently.

However, lately, with high temps and humidity I have again suffered from my heart rate rising and staying. Last weekend a former pro cyclist rode with me and a buddy. He said that there is a sympton called "cardio compensation " (I think that is it), in which your body gets very hot, you are sweating, but it is too humid for your sweat to really cool you. To lower your temp, your heart starts pumping faster, which raises your heart rate, which make syou work harder, etc., etc., etc. Makes sense. I was glad to have what may be a logical explanation for my latest heart issue.

I highly recommend anyone who works out regularly get testing done to configure your max heart rate (mine is over 200), and your anaerobic threshold. Then train in the endurance heart rate to help your heart work for you, instead of against you. If you only train at high heart rates, your heart will only work at those levels.

TMI? read up on heart rates, listen to your docs and have fun. you burn more fat (as opposed to carbs) at a lower heart rate!

[Jolt]

One is mitral valve prolapse and the other is pvc (pre ventricular contractions or complexes depending on who you talk to). The pvcs are just irritating as they feel like there is a marble stuck in your heart. When I don't drink enough water or my electrolytes are off, it acts up and usually shows up as a higher HRM when I exercise.

That's an interesting description--never heard that one before! I get them sometimes too and I'd describe them as feeling like my heart is doing flips!!