Very high heart rate when running

Hello Zeke,

I was told and read that runners should have a lower heart rate of around 60 because runners usually develop a lower hear rate than the majority of us sedentary individuals.

I don’t run and my normal heart rate is around 95 to 98. My heart rate recently jumped up to 136 while in the hospital and I had to go to the emergency room where 2 nurses had to summon a doctor for guidance.

My heart rate kept creeping up and they considered rolling me to the emergency room but it eventually peaked at 136 and slowly started to go down on it’s own eventually to 98 so I was out of “danger “.
You may want to know why your HR is so high when running. This doesn’t seem normal and I fear that you may be prime for a heart attack. Check with your cardiologist.

Athletes normally have a heart rate of around 60 if they are in good shape thus they can run and keep their pace and run without any heart problems.
It won’t raise their heart rate but is more likely that runners don’t need more than 60 beats per minute if in excellent shape.

I don’t know if that’s true as I am not a doctor but you may want to google it.

I have not encountered any formal research results to support what I am about to say, but I have read opinions by medical personnel who treat people for heart rhythm problems. Take this for what it's worth: cyclists and runners, especially, and those who are either, AND who are tall, have a significantly higher probability of developing heart rhythm problems later in life. We're not talking a huge jump in the statistic, but enough that those working in the field will tell you that many who repeatedly stress their hearts with higher intensity training early in life show up more than those who don't push themselves quite so hard.

A healthy and well-trained heart will rest below 45 BPM, and that's into bradycardia territory officially. However, a knowledgeable physician will instantly dismiss this low rate once she learns of your physical training. And, I am a life-long runner, often competitive. My resting HR was about 38 for much of my adult life. I now have AF, and recently had a touchup ablation of the pulmonary vein ostia. Take it from me, you want to avoid having any heart arrhythmias if you can possibly avoid it. They tend to progress once you have them. So, continue to be fit, but be aware that you might develop fibroids inside your atria from scarring if you persist in very high intensity training for long. The more fibroids, the likelier you'll have heart problems.

That’s funny because my doctor said that a person who is athletic usually has a lower HR than those who are sedentary as the HR eventually slows down for them and that this is healthy.
I wonder where he got that from and read several online doctors or university professors opinions and they all said that an athlete’s heart is in better shape.
Having said that I believe if you are running or cycling often and your heart rate is still high I would touch base with my doctor. I know that when you start you’re heart rate is probably high but after it gets it used to it it will slow down and adapt.
If you are exercising profusely and your heart is still beating fast I would suggest you talk it over with your doctor. My 2 cents worth anyway.

Here's Michael Levin et al.'s 2020 paper (PLoS Medicine) on the genetic association between height (risk for AF increases with each inch above 5' 7") & development of atrial fibrillation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33031386/

Interesting what you had to say. I am 6ft besides being a runner for 30 plus years ran 4 miles a day almost every day. I am also a swimmer do boxing, MMA machines and weights in a gym. I always had a low BPM rate walking around in the 50’s or in the 40’s. I was told i have an athletic heart.
I too have A-Fib I believe i got it after having had the first covid booster shot in Sept. 2021. A-Fib is so insidious there is no rhyme or reason to it can be stressed and nothing can be relaxed and get it so frustrating.

Yes: "athletic heart syndrome" is a thing--but not recognised as a formal diagnostic category. And what a coincidence! I too developed A-Fib following administration of the bivalent mRNA C19 vaccine. I've posted elsewhere on this site about this incident (& the AFib was preceded by months of gastro-intestinal disorders that started with the first monovalent booster; I'm still being treated...13 months & counting, for dysbiosis, IBS, & SIBO-C). But it's infuriating: I'm now 5 months beyond the bivalent mRNA booster (October 2022) & my first incidence of A-fib...& I'm still experiencing paroxysmal A-fib. As previously noted: I've got 8-plus years of FitBit fitness/cardiac fitness data to document my exceptional fitness/cardiac fitness...prior to the bivalent mRNA insult & unprecedented onset of A-Fib (Fitbit consistently estimated my VO2 max at 58-62--& I am 65 years old!). Notwithstanding the paroxysmal A-fib (just had an overnight bout on Tuesday), I have resumed my (sometimes extreme) fitness routines. And my cardiac fitness metrics--measured both by my Fitbit & now Apple Watch 8, have returned to pre-bivalent-booster/pre-AFib levels: RHR = 44; walking heart rate = 52; VO2 max = 58-62 (up from 51-55 following the bivalent mRNA booster). But that I am having paroxysmal A-fib is infuriating & worrisome. I live alone (with cats) & not infrequently wonder when I go to bed if I will wake up the following morning. Worry mostly about dying in my sleep from a heart attack & not being discovered for days...while the cats are uncared for/unloved. Angry that I might not be able to get the Novavax booster, given the termination of the C19 Pandemic Emergency Policy (& funding for additional vaccine & therapeutics development, not to mention policies permitting Telemedcine that also will be terminated). Will NEVER accept another mRNA vaccine--for any indication, using the lipid nanoparticle delivery technology. Never!

Hi Shoshin
Thank you for your response.
I will NEVER take another shot of any kind including flu etc. ever again I have no trust or confidence in the CDC, NIH or for that matter the EPA basically any government entity. With them it corrupt and all about the money.
I certainly understand your fear or concern about going to sleep I too have similar thought.
I guess the good news is we are both seem to be in good shape.
People at the gym or other places always say I look great and I’m in great shape.
Frankly when i hear that it makes angry because with this A-Fib I know I’m not.
I always kid around and say I may look 50 on the outside but on the inside I’m 150.
That is the extent I will comment on it I never tell anyone about any conditions or problems I may have.
I have always been that way. Guess way and where I grew up has to do with it. Always thought it was a sign of weakness.
Again thank you for your response I wish there were other people I could speak with like yourself in some type of support group.
If you or anyone ever want to go off the Mayo blog I would be happy to share my personal email with you and any others. Or if anyone would like to actually talk I would be happy to give my phone number out. As i stated its hard for me to tell people I know sometimes its easier to talk to strangers. At least for me.

When my elite swimmer daughter was your age she had syncope. She was worked up by the family doc and if we did it now, I would take her to a sports med specialist. Not an ortho but a whole body sm doc. If not avaliable look for a younger fit cardiologist. It was a world a difference between the coaching at college level Case Western and high school. Elite athletes develop larger hearts and have lower resting pulses. BTW if you have heard the 220 minus age for max heart rate, that is for 40 year old males. And my daughter is still swimming at age 41.

Thank you for your kind & thoughtful response. Look forward to continued interaction--& very much appreciate the offer to exchange email (outside of Mayo Connect). More disheartening data, however, about incident A-Fib: I read a new paper estimating the likelihood of developing dementia with incident atrial fibrillation (particularly if incident A-Fib first occurs prior to age 65 years): https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/epub/10.1161/JAHA.122.028290.

Thinking about adding yet another health-fitness tracker to my arsenal (currently consists of Apple Watch 8 & FitBit Charge 4): The Garmin Venu 2 (2S), which is the only Garmin smartwatch that can detect A-Fib. Gives different-additional health data than either the Apple or FitBit products. With the vaccine injury & incident A-Fib I've become somewhat obsessed with keeping track of my daily physiology (including, of course, sleep behavior). Stay safe!

Yes i am aware about dementia etc. with A-Fib there is a swiss study which unfortunately is quite disturbing. i tried to send you a link but it will not allow me got a message because i am a newly registered member??
Perhaps you can search for it try sis’s atrial fibrillation cohort.
Tomorrow one year ago i purchased a Kardia Mobile device its great technology. However i have become addicted to it and although i never was it has made me neurotic in constantly using it to see if have A-fib since i am generally asymptomatic with low heart rate. I wish i never got it so no I’m not looking for any other devices though i appreciate your info. I believe your first post you said something about gastric distress or problems are you aware there are 2 types of derivative A-Fib one Vagal the other Adrengeric .Some people have one or the other or a combination of both .I have uploaded a photo of an article about it I hope you can see it, Keep in touch!