Heart Rate up to 150bpm when exercising

I had a remote PM check on Wednesday. I got a call from the doctor's office and they have noticed some times where my heart rate went up over 150bpm. I asked her to check the times this happened. It’s good to know my cardiologist is on top of things, but I don't think there is a problem.
The reason my heart rate was up to 150bpm is because I have been walking the dog with my son up and down hills. My Apple Watch says I walked the equivalent to 22 flights of stairs in two miles. I am finally feeling good and getting some needed exercise. My anxiety is getting under control, until this phone call.
Now I can’t help but wonder if I am over working my heart by walking up hill and getting the rate up to 150. Other than breathing hard I don’t have any other problems. I am not staying at the higher rate, maybe for a mintue. My rate seems to recover fairly quickly when we start back down the hill.
I am 57 and have had my PM for 7 months for bradycardia and Heart Block. I am being paced about 5% in the upper chamber and 2% in the lower. I know the lower setting is 60 and I think the upper is 120.
Should I talk with the cardiologist about rising the upper number? I have not had any problems, but I would think if I needed to be paced when my heart rate is up it might not be good.
Does anyone else get their heart rate up to 150 when exercising?


6 Comments

getting a high rate

by Tracey_E - 2017-10-21 13:21:14

If you were getting to 150 while watching tv or sleeping, you'd have a problem. If it's a time you were walking, it's ok. Mine had what showed up as episodes of tachycardia. I asked when they happened, it was always between 7 and 8am. Wanna guess when I go to the gym?  

Charts don't mean much when we are paced so don't stress over it. 150 isn't that high for exertion if you have been cleared for exercise and nothing else is going on. I'm 51 and regularly get 170-180 and stay there for 20-30 minutes. If you go by the charts that's high for my age, but that's just how fast my heart goes when I push hard. I had a stress test and all my numbers looked good and I felt strong when I got 160-170 (actually, I was chatting with the staff the whole test, they seemed to surprise by how not winded I was) so my doc said it's ok, that's normal for me. I have 3rd degree block and pace every beat and my upper limit is 190.

If your upper limit is 120 and you are getting to 150, your heart is doing that on its own. The pacer can only pace to the upper limit. Beyond that, the pacer will just watch.  It's a gas pedal, not a brake pedal. If you feel good, if your doctor isn't on you to cut back, then go for it and don't worry about it. Whether it's paced or not, exercise is good for us. We have wonky electrical sysytems, exercise will keep the muscle strong so we don't compound the problems we already have.

If there's any question if it's too high for you, they can do a stress test and watch. If you've never had one, you run on a treadmill while they watch an ekg, monitor bp and O2 saturation and I forget what else. They even brought in the SJM rep when I had mine so they were watching the pacer too. But you feel good and 150 isn't crazy high, so you should be good to go.

Happy

by doublehorn48 - 2017-10-21 13:50:19

Tracey is right, as usual.  With those numbers you should be very happy.  As the song says , don't worry be happy.

stress test

by Kays - 2017-10-21 14:14:51

Thank you Tracy,
I did have a stress test, but not the one where you walk on the treadmill. So I am not sure what my heart rate went up to then. Did pass with no problems.

I am very winded at that rate, but I don't stay there long. Guess I will try to hold my rate down a little until I build more endurance. I know two months ago I couldn't do what I am doing now.

Now to get my anxiety back under control. :-)

 

Celebrate !

by IAN MC - 2017-10-21 15:40:56

Many people on here cannot get their heart rate up to 150 when they exercise. Some can get there HR up but it stays there too long. I bet they feel far worse than you do

Heart rate is supposed to increase on exercising and then return to normal fairly quickly when you stop . Glad to hear that your's does on both counts. Do it far more often and you will get really fit and feel great

 Best of luck

Ian

 

 

I'm with the others...

by Tattoo Man1 - 2017-10-24 13:44:41

Hi Kay....150 bpm is not high at all, given your age

'Old Wisdom' would have given your max as 220-age/57 to result in a max of 163 bpm

This formula is widely discredited..even by its original author..

Check out the 'Hunt Test'...based on a very big sample,.. we have a formula for Max BPM.

211 minus 0.64 of age gives you   211-36.48...resulting in a max of 174 bpm...so

At 150 bpm you are miles off your potential max.

Best wishes...Tattoo Man

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

heart rate

by Kays - 2017-10-24 14:41:43


I am trying to get in to speak with the Doctor. I was given a little more information when I saw my doctor in the store. It wasn't just high, it was irregular. He said to keep walking but I will need to follow up to find out what is happening.

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