Hi Guys, Hope all are doing well. I am 18 days post-op and still have rapid heart beat (over 100 bpm). Prior to surgery (AVR bovine) my heart rate was running pretty regular about 70bpm, now it runs consistently between 90bpm and 110 bpm at rest. I must be more concerned than my cardiologist because he says well lets just wait a while and see. All I take for meds is 1 50mg Toprol xl /day and 1 adult aspirin tab. The toprol is mainly for blood pressure but it is also supposed to help lower the heart rate. Anybody else out there going thru a similar experience and should I maybe fire my cardiologist and find another??? Thanks Dave
Rapid Heart Beat after AVR
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Hi Guys, Hope all are doing well. I am 18 days post-op and still have rapid heart beat (over 100 bpm). Prior to surgery (AVR bovine) my heart rate was running pretty regular about 70bpm, now it runs consistently between 90bpm and 110 bpm at rest. I must be more concerned than my cardiologist because he says well lets just wait a while and see. All I take for meds is 1 50mg Toprol xl /day and 1 adult aspirin tab. The toprol is mainly for blood pressure but it is also supposed to help lower the heart rate. Anybody else out there going thru a similar experience and should I maybe fire my cardiologist and find another??? Thanks DaveNancy
Well-known member
Hi Dave-
I think others have had similar problems. It takes a little while for the heart's electrical system to settle down after surgery. That must be why the "wait and see" attitude of your card.
Take care and best wishes.
I think others have had similar problems. It takes a little while for the heart's electrical system to settle down after surgery. That must be why the "wait and see" attitude of your card.
Take care and best wishes.
L
Larry Rogers
Dave,
I had mitral valve repair 18 months ago. After the surgery my heart rate increased to the 95-105 range. It is now in the 85-95 range. My cardiologist also indicated that it would take a least a year for the heart rate to come down.
I will be seeing him again in couple of months to see what he thinks about my current rate.
Best of luck in your recovery.
I had mitral valve repair 18 months ago. After the surgery my heart rate increased to the 95-105 range. It is now in the 85-95 range. My cardiologist also indicated that it would take a least a year for the heart rate to come down.
I will be seeing him again in couple of months to see what he thinks about my current rate.
Best of luck in your recovery.
J
jackdrum
rapid heart rate after surgery
rapid heart rate after surgery
Nancy may be correct, as it is a lot of trauma to the hearts electric system, and it might be that you are anemic. You should ask your doctor about your blood test.
It may not be the case after all major heart surgery, but I had a very high rate, and my surgeon told me to take iron suppliments, because I was anemic after the surgery. He said as soon as I got my blood built up the rate would comedown, and it did just that.
This happens many times after heart surgery, but you should check with your doctor.
Best wishes and prayers.
Jack
[email protected]
rapid heart rate after surgery
Nancy may be correct, as it is a lot of trauma to the hearts electric system, and it might be that you are anemic. You should ask your doctor about your blood test.
It may not be the case after all major heart surgery, but I had a very high rate, and my surgeon told me to take iron suppliments, because I was anemic after the surgery. He said as soon as I got my blood built up the rate would comedown, and it did just that.
This happens many times after heart surgery, but you should check with your doctor.
Best wishes and prayers.
Jack
[email protected]
P
Peachy
Hi Dave
Don't worry about your rapid heartbeat. It will settle down. I am now 11 months post op. Before my AVR my heart rate was around 55 to 60 at rest. After my op (pig valve) it was around 100. My surgeon said not to worry as this was normal. Now that my valve had been replaced there was more blood flowing through than before. He wasn't going to give me any medication as I wasn't on any before my op. He said it would come down in 3 or 4 months. He was right. After around 3 months it was down to about 70. It is now back to normal. The main thing is to keep exercising and keep active. I was active before my op and now am able to do even more. Being active helps to bring it down also. I took up cycling 3 months after my op and found that this reduced my heart rate quicker than walking every day. You are only 18 days post op so stop worrying.
Don't worry about your rapid heartbeat. It will settle down. I am now 11 months post op. Before my AVR my heart rate was around 55 to 60 at rest. After my op (pig valve) it was around 100. My surgeon said not to worry as this was normal. Now that my valve had been replaced there was more blood flowing through than before. He wasn't going to give me any medication as I wasn't on any before my op. He said it would come down in 3 or 4 months. He was right. After around 3 months it was down to about 70. It is now back to normal. The main thing is to keep exercising and keep active. I was active before my op and now am able to do even more. Being active helps to bring it down also. I took up cycling 3 months after my op and found that this reduced my heart rate quicker than walking every day. You are only 18 days post op so stop worrying.
A
ALCapshaw
Hi Dave,
I concur with the other responders. After my AVR, I went into Atrial Fibrilation with a heart rate around 150. It resolved after about 3 hours and 3 courses of Digoxin. I had another couple of events 12 weeks post op. For the first one, I went to the ER in an ambulance where they put me on a monitor and 'watched' until it resolved in about 3 hours. When the next one came, I called my Doc, took an extra Toprol and waited it out. It resolved in 3 hours.
Like you, my resting heart rate was a bit on the high side but came down with time and exercise. The Cardiologists treat anything from a HR of 60 to 100 as 'within normal range' and don't consider A-fib to be a dangerous condition as long as it resolves in a 'reasonable' amount of time.
I'd keep a record of your HR vs. activity levels and follow the recommended 'wait and see' advice. IF it goes much higher, you may want to alert your Cardiologist who can increase your Beta Blocker dosage or go to more powerful medications to lower your HR if needed.
Hang in there,
'AL'
I concur with the other responders. After my AVR, I went into Atrial Fibrilation with a heart rate around 150. It resolved after about 3 hours and 3 courses of Digoxin. I had another couple of events 12 weeks post op. For the first one, I went to the ER in an ambulance where they put me on a monitor and 'watched' until it resolved in about 3 hours. When the next one came, I called my Doc, took an extra Toprol and waited it out. It resolved in 3 hours.
Like you, my resting heart rate was a bit on the high side but came down with time and exercise. The Cardiologists treat anything from a HR of 60 to 100 as 'within normal range' and don't consider A-fib to be a dangerous condition as long as it resolves in a 'reasonable' amount of time.
I'd keep a record of your HR vs. activity levels and follow the recommended 'wait and see' advice. IF it goes much higher, you may want to alert your Cardiologist who can increase your Beta Blocker dosage or go to more powerful medications to lower your HR if needed.
Hang in there,
'AL'
Thanks to all of you for your input. Tommorrow I will ask the card to check my blood to be sure that all is within parameters. What I did not share with you in my initial query was that if I excercise even very moderately like a 5 minute slow walk in the mall it jumps from around the 100 up to almost 130. Peachy is probably right tho that I am too soon after surgery and it will settle down. My wife works full time and the house was a wreck the day before thanksgiving so I figured what the heck I will do a couple of very light things to help out. Well it turned into 2 hours of housecleaning and doing things on the no no list and for about the next 12 hours it felt like my heart was running a marathon. I toughed it out and it settled down but I learned my lesson and will be real careful from here forward. Thanks again for all your input!! Dave
A
ALCapshaw
Sounds normal to me Dave.
My HR would go up pretty fast with very little exertion for the first several weeks. Do you have a Heart Rate Monitor? I wear mine whenever I exercise to be sure I don't overdo it. The Cardiac Rehab nurses recommended no more than 20 or 30 beats over your resting Heart Rate. After a while, I pushed on up to my maximum of 85% of
220 minus AGE.
Try to hold it down for at least the first 6 weeks. Then see what your Cardiologist says about pushing it up.
'AL'
My HR would go up pretty fast with very little exertion for the first several weeks. Do you have a Heart Rate Monitor? I wear mine whenever I exercise to be sure I don't overdo it. The Cardiac Rehab nurses recommended no more than 20 or 30 beats over your resting Heart Rate. After a while, I pushed on up to my maximum of 85% of
220 minus AGE.
Try to hold it down for at least the first 6 weeks. Then see what your Cardiologist says about pushing it up.
'AL'
JimL
Well-known member
Dave,
Just in case you're still cherishing some doubts, please let me reinforce that you are absolutely correct in seeing the connection between your overdoing it and your rapid heart rate. I too had to learn the hard way not to overdo it for a while. Or, understood differently, never again to overdo it. It's just a little hard to tell how much you can safely do, especially in those first weeks after surgery, when you so much want to reassure yourself that you are still alive, that you won't be an invalid forever, etc. Take it easy, rest up, and especially during these first weeks and months, don't exceed your limits. You will recover, and you will reach the point when you can do what you want, but that isn't within the first few weeks after surgery.
Just in case you're still cherishing some doubts, please let me reinforce that you are absolutely correct in seeing the connection between your overdoing it and your rapid heart rate. I too had to learn the hard way not to overdo it for a while. Or, understood differently, never again to overdo it. It's just a little hard to tell how much you can safely do, especially in those first weeks after surgery, when you so much want to reassure yourself that you are still alive, that you won't be an invalid forever, etc. Take it easy, rest up, and especially during these first weeks and months, don't exceed your limits. You will recover, and you will reach the point when you can do what you want, but that isn't within the first few weeks after surgery.
Ross
Well-known member
I too went through the rapid rate in rehab. Along with the rapid rate was stroke range blood pressure. They got on it right away with Atenolol. It brought my BP down, but I continued with the rapid heart rate for a few days after.
