Affect of medication on accuracy of HRM

katkins3

I haven't seen a thread on how medication affects the accuracy of the HRM. I'm on beta blockers, which suppress/slow my heart rate.
When I finish an hour of cardio my HRM says I burned, for example, 150 calories, or about a quarter of what MFP lists for an hour of that particular exercise. I'm not sure either number is "real" as my effort is high, but heart rate relatively low.
I log the calories the HRM gives because I eat back my calories and don't want to fool myself and consume more than my goal.
Opinions?

andrejjorje

Impossible to lose only 150 cals in 1 hour of cardio. The HRM is faulty. How low is your resting HR now?

xHelloQuincyx

i take medication for ADD and i would like to know more about this. bump*

Mustangsally1000

me too. bump

keeponkickin

I use an HRM and I used to be on a beta blocker. I've been off for several months now. When on the medication I had to work extra hard to get my heart rate up and even then it wasn't up where I needed it to be. Can you possibly take your medication after your workouts so that you don't have the full effect in your system before the workout. The number on your HRM will always be more accurate than what MFP says. I know from being on both sides of the fence.

katkins3

My resting heart rate is 69. I stay in my recommended zone of 100 to 130 as I am 61. I had a Polar, but got a new Garmin as a gift. Both gave me around 150 calories if I walk 3 mile, or an hour of Jazzercise or 45 min on an elliptical. When I do Jazzercise I am full tilt and other ladies get 500 calories on their HRM.
I don't think it is so much my HRM as the algorithm they use to calculate calories are based on normal non-medicated people, not the suppressed heart rate.

cmriverside

When I was on Beta Blockers my RHR was 55-60. Now it is 60-64. My calorie burn hasn't changed on my HRM.....but it is easier to get into a higher heart rate.

I think maybe you have not set the settings correctly? Recheck them. If both are saying the same thing, it probably isn't the device.

TinaS70

I would also like to learn more on this...I take a beta-blocker to keep my heart rate more normal not for blood pressure problems just problems with throwing to many pvc's and heart beats going crazy

keeponkickin

I would also like to learn more on this...I take a beta-blocker to keep my heart rate more normal not for blood pressure problems just problems with throwing to many pvc's and heart beats going crazy

I feel you on the pvc's. I have them and at times they are insane! I quit the beta blockers for them a few months ago. I went through a lot of heart tests to confirm the pvc's weren't from a heart issue. My heart is fine and I've learned to deal with them. I will say they have gotten better as I've lost the weight and exercise a lot.

lunamare

What does your doctor say?

LethaSue

It would seem to me if calories burned are figured by the rate of speed your heart beats, then that would be what it is. If you take ,drugs that slow down your heart rate then you will not burn as many calories; the same way if you take drugs that speed it up will burn more calories. You would not be able to subtract or add calories as an adjustment because what ever your heart beats is what it beats.