Prescriptions medications, as they relate to burning calorie

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Giovanni_P
Giovanni_P Posts: 107
in Fitness and Exercise
I usually go to the gym in the morning. Come home, and take my blood pressure meds. Today I went to the gym early in the evening, after I took my meds. I wear a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor, and noticed that I could barely reach my minimum target heart rate. No matter how hard I pushed myself.
The workout, (all cardio) intensity was the same as usual, but I just could not achieve the minimum, so I upped the intensity. Even then, I could barely maintained the absolute minimum targeted heart rate. And I wore myself out.
Even if you do not reach your minimum heart rate, are you still burning the same amount of calories? Provided the intensity is the same?

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  • xarrium
    xarrium Posts: 432 Member
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    It kind of sounds like there was a bad connection between you and your HRM... if you're pushing yourself to the limit I would think your heart rate would increase even if you've altered your blood pressure. I know I sometimes get wonky readings if the electrodes aren't reading properly. If you're worn out, I think it's safe to say you still burned the same number of calories, though.
  • butterflymedic
    butterflymedic Posts: 11
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    Today I went to the gym early in the evening, after I took my meds.
    [/quote

    What medicines do you take for your BP.
  • corey_e
    corey_e Posts: 162
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    I would think it depends on what the meds are supposed to do. I had to take my Dad's blood pressure and if it was too high he had to take meds to slow it down. I don't remember the number or what the med was but if it's to lower your pressure maybe there is a connection. You may want to talk it over with your Dr. or even a 24 hour nurse. :ohwell:
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I had to stop taking my hypertensive meds because mine was getting severely low, due to the weight loss. How long have you been working out and what's your normal reading without the medication?

    As you become more fit, your HR will also naturally slow down because it doesn't need to pump as hard to maintain proper blood flow to the rest of your body, so coupled with an anti-hypertension prescription, you may actually be taxing your heart harder than you think.

    Using myself as an example, my BP is at a constant range of about 110/60 without meds and my HR is 46 resting. It's still low, but considering that when I was on my BP medication, my reading was at its lowest 93/39 and my HR was 38...not good if you're trying to exercise after taking it because the medication will keep the bp low, when physical activity is supposed to naturally raise blood pressure. So, use your better judgment as far as taking the meds prior to or after working out.

    With the calorie burning aspect, I would only take its true bpm off the meds and see if that makes a difference in your HRM. Because for a true maximized calorie burn, it really would have to be higher. If you're doing the same intensity for each workout, and again, as you get healthier, you might wanna try amping up the intensity. That's just my opinion.

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