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Aerobic exercising while on metoprolol
Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: 6 hours ago | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
I fully agree with you that building aerobic endurance slowly using common sense is the best way to go. I have been working on my endurance problem for over two months and have developed some questions about aerobic training with underlying heart issues and looking for advice (or lack of) from my doctors.
First, I guess I really don't understand what is involved in aerobic training. I assumed that the object of aerobic training was to work the heart at near or near the maximum heart rate stated for my age. I had done this about 20 years ago with reasonable success. Now I am on a heart rate limiting drug (metoprolol) and I have not been given any guidance regarding my current maximum heart rate limit which seems to be on the order 110 bpm. What are reasonable limits for a person in my condition?
Second, I am not convinced that my short windedness is directly related to my aerobic fitness. My experience with my aerobic workouts that my heart rate initially drops and slowly recovers when I increase my workload is counter intuitive and explains why I experience a sense of fatigue and shortness of breath during my work outs. And it explains why I experience a temporary shortness of breath when I climb stairs or begin walking up hills.
I am fully committed to maintaining a healthy and active life after my heart attack which includes aerobic activities; I just want to make sure that I do it in a safe and sane manor. I know I am not the only one with these heart rate issues, and I am looking for answers regarding my heart rate limits and best practices for recovery.
Replies to "I fully agree with you that building aerobic endurance slowly using common sense is the best..."
I would suggest trying to find a trainer and or physical therapist with specific experience in cardiac rehab. A good physical therapy group or center should have a specialty in cardia rehab as it presents with its own issues. Recovering from a heart attack is hard enough and then adding a rate limiter drug slows you down a bit more. You also have to plug in the orthopedic muscular side to the equation as you are also building back that side. And then there is the question of what kind of condition you were in before your heart attack. One thing for sure you cannot just get aerobic 5 days a week in just a couple of weeks. You need good guidance from a professional. If your MD is not any help for referrals then start networking in your area/friends and or calling P.T./training facilities to see if they have a cardiac program. I asked my wife if as a geriatric PT x 35 years if she had any experience in cardiac rehab and she said no. Every place she worked at had a specific program for cardiac rehab.
Here is an interesting piece written by an MD about his personal experience.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/do-beta-blockers-interfere-with-exercise
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All sensible wonderings. Have you been checked out by a pulmonologist? Maybe something about your oxygen exchange apparatus needs some attention. What is your ejection fraction? How is your ferritin? Heme iron? Magnesium determined by a CRP? All these things could point to a defect in some aspect of your routine maintenance.