Maximum heart rate for exercise purposes?

[MitralMan]

After your post, I checked...

After your post, I checked...

My HR has gradually dropped since the surgery and with regular exercise. at 50 years old, I try to keep it around 145 for sustained exercise, with little bursts up to 150-55 once in a while for variety. I do could 135 for hours. I'm with Tom - if my HR doesn't get back below 100 after three minutes off the rower, I know I've over done it for the day.

A week of long work hours, travel or a minor cold will also raise my resting HR about 5 beats. Right now, my resting HR is around 60.

Right after my last rowing session, my pulse went from 143 to 125 in 3 minutes (pulse standing just before I went on was about 90). Didn't FEEL like too much, but the Metoprolol (25mg twice a day) may be masking all kinds of things. I honestly think sports physiology and regular cardiology do not intersect (I have not been able to find ONE article on the 'net on this subject), so I guess we're as good a source as anyone...

 

[RobThatsMe]

Tomorrow I'm 4 months post-op; I've been exercising regularly with increasing intensity and duration for the last two months.

Are there any rules of thumb for maximum and target heart rates adjusted for surgery and medication (i.e., Metoprolol)? My max used to be about 176 (I'm 48), and I would exercise up to about 165bpm for short intervals. Now, I don't let my heart go above 143, but I'm not sure it would in any case.

Thanks!

Hi I have some good information on this topic for those of us who may be on a beta blocker.

Hope you find this helpful,

Rob

Re: Exercise with low pulse from medication
by ljandie91 (WebMD), 8/18/00 10:09 PM
Hello,
Your heart is getting an adequate workout as long as you raise it 20-30 beats per minute over your resting levels. You can't calculate a target heart rate based on the traditional method of subtacting your age from 220 and multiplying it by 70-85%, because of the beta-blocker.
In the cardiac rehab setting we usually use 70-85% of the highest heart rate achieved on the pre-exercise stress test, if the medication(s), especially beta-blockers, were taken before the test. If the medication(s) were held, the highest heart rate achieved must be further adjusted for these meds; typically a range of 10-20% more depending on the size and frequency of the beta-blocker dose and the dose(s) of other medications being taken that may also be lowering the heart rate. Sometimes this method of calculation is ineffective; in this case we often use the simple formula of resting heart rate plus 20 to 30 beats per minute. This range is decided upon based on whether or not the person is still ischemic (blockages that are preventing adequate blood flow to the heart), the amount of heart muscle damage from the heart attack, the ejection fraction and other individual considerations.
In regard to your question about time of day to exercise, in my opinion you are actually better off to exercise earlier in the day, when your beta-blocker is having the most efffect on your heart rate. I can't evaluate this in relation to your condition, because I don't know what the situation is with your heart's blood flow. In general the effect of the beta-blocker is to improve blood flow to the heart muscle, so it is better protected from the potential effects of decreased blood flow and thus you are less likely to have angina. Hope this is clear and helpful; I will watch for additional posts from you should you have another question.
Sincerly, Laurie Anderson, RN, BSN

 

[Les]

Being a "Beta-Blocker Junkie" yet extremely active, this information is quite helpful. Thanks, Rob.

 

[MitralMan]

Rob, thanks for that!

Rob, thanks for that!

Hi I have some good information on this topic for those of us who may be on a beta blocker.

Hope you find this helpful,

Rob

Re: Exercise with low pulse from medication
by ljandie91 (WebMD), 8/18/00 10:09 PM
Hello,
Your heart is getting an adequate workout as long as you raise it 20-30 beats per minute over your resting levels. You can't calculate a target heart rate based on the traditional method of subtacting your age from 220 and multiplying it by 70-85%, because of the beta-blocker.
In the cardiac rehab setting we usually use 70-85% of the highest heart rate achieved on the pre-exercise stress test, if the medication(s), especially beta-blockers, were taken before the test. If the medication(s) were held, the highest heart rate achieved must be further adjusted for these meds; typically a range of 10-20% more depending on the size and frequency of the beta-blocker dose and the dose(s) of other medications being taken that may also be lowering the heart rate. Sometimes this method of calculation is ineffective; in this case we often use the simple formula of resting heart rate plus 20 to 30 beats per minute. This range is decided upon based on whether or not the person is still ischemic (blockages that are preventing adequate blood flow to the heart), the amount of heart muscle damage from the heart attack, the ejection fraction and other individual considerations.
In regard to your question about time of day to exercise, in my opinion you are actually better off to exercise earlier in the day, when your beta-blocker is having the most efffect on your heart rate. I can't evaluate this in relation to your condition, because I don't know what the situation is with your heart's blood flow. In general the effect of the beta-blocker is to improve blood flow to the heart muscle, so it is better protected from the potential effects of decreased blood flow and thus you are less likely to have angina. Hope this is clear and helpful; I will watch for additional posts from you should you have another question.
Sincerly, Laurie Anderson, RN, BSN

This is pretty vigin territory, yes?