Heart rate

Has anyone read any data/ studies on heartrate and longevity? Before my pacer my doctor told me how good it was to have such a low heartrate - think athletes heart. Now mine is set to pace at 60bpm. I was just wondering.

Second question- do many of you find that you are pacing more as time goes on? Mine has gone up 15- 25% every check. I am still below 50% but when I asked he said "I expect you will eventually be 100% pacing" Is that the norm?
I was very surprised.

Thanks- very glad for this site.
Tom

4 Comments

Heartrate

by Blueaustralia - 2007-12-12 03:12:11

Hi

My doc told me that a low heartrate was an athletes heartrate and when I got a pm it was set too high for me.
They had to drop it to 55 min 130 max. I found a tape from a 24 hour monitor years before I developed probs. My heartrate dropped to 48 at night. I pace 100percent.
Initially I found I thought a lot about what was going on. Now, if I feel ok I just forget about it all and leave it to the tech and the heart specialist. Pace well, hope this helps. Oh yes, I was a great runner. Cheers

Pacing more

by ela-girl - 2007-12-12 03:12:49

Well, Tom, I notice at every one of my pacer checks that I am pacing more than the last time, too. My EP explains it to me like this: since your heart is getting help it tends to get a little bit lazier. Hence the amount you pace will go up over time. At least this is what was told to me. I would also think that perhaps the original condition for the pacer might change (get worse perhaps) over time and cause a you to pace more or you might develop something else that increases your need to be paced.

So, I would think this is normal per what my EP has told me...makes sense!
ela-girl

Athlete's Heart

by gevans - 2007-12-12 07:12:29

I too thought a slow heart rate was a well conditioned one. I had a resting heart rate of 38 - 42 for my entire life (or at least post-HS when I was first aware of such things). Now I'm being paced at 70 bpm - its no wonder I feel as though I'm on some permanent caffeine high. I would love for them to lower the rate, but my cardiologist says that's the only way to keep me from going into long bouts of afib. His concern is the fact that I could throw a clot in that scenario (the blood not being ejected fully with each stroke).

Consequently, the only time I'm not 100% paced is when I exercise vigorously enough to exceed the high end limits he has set (currently at 105). I guess that just means I'll have to stay overly active so I can save on battery wear. LOL

GE

Pacing/Heart rate

by CJD2007 - 2007-12-13 12:12:05

Hi Tom,

I went into the hospital in August with a heart rate of 30.
Previously I think my heart rate was about 58. Now my pm is set at 60. Today I saw my Cardio Dr. and asked her how much my pm was being used. She said 100%. Also, she said the next visit in May that she may lower my pm to 50. The Cardio Dr. also said if I am more active then the % would be less. I am reluctant to lower it to 50 since I feel great at 60.

Sorry I can't answer about longevity.

Take care,
Casey Jo

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