Slow heart rate

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CourtneyHiatt
CourtneyHiatt Posts: 23
in Fitness and Exercise
My heart rate is very low (in the 40's) and so is my blood pressure. I recently went to the doctor and they diagnosed me with Bradycardia, she also told me that I need to eat more full fat foods to change this and gain more weight. I don't understand why...every website I look at says that people who are very fit have low heart rates, but at the same time it scares me to death because I'm afraid I'm just going to drop dead at any second. I'm very confused, can anybody clarify?

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  • girlofsun26
    girlofsun26 Posts: 140 Member
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    I'm the total opposite! I can be sitting here for hours and all of a sudden my heart rate can spike into the 120's. So I have your same fears of just dropping dead. I have to loose the weight to help correct it. I hope that you can put your weight back on just for the fear alone to go away of dropping dead and so your heart can be nice and healthy.. :) Good luck girl!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    There can be two causes of low heart rate. One is a combination of genetics and a high degree of aerobic fitness. This is good.

    The other cause is heart defects or disease. This is bad.

    Unfortunately, doctors sometime confuse the good for the bad.

    Mine is 40 in the morning. I have had EKGs during physicals before and nobody has ever found anything wrong.
  • cparton
    cparton Posts: 2 Member
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    http://www.hrsonline.org/patientinfo/symptomsdiagnosis/slowheart/

    http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/tc/bradycardia-slow-heart-rate-overview

    Take a look at these two links. It will give you some information about bradycardia. I'm assuming the Dr. explained what bradycardia is and what kind of symptoms to look for as a result of your slow heart rate. If you experience the symptoms assosciated with bradycardia, then talk to your Dr. again about treatment. If not, keep doing what you're doing while keeping an eye out for changes/symptoms.

    You're right, a low heart rate is a sign of fitness, but a heart rate in the 40s is very low and it doesn't allow blood and oxygen to pumped through your body effectively, hence your blood pressure being low as well.

    I would recommend researching and learning as much as you can about bradycardia as it can be very serious if left untreated.

    Hope this helps.
  • TubbsMcGee
    TubbsMcGee Posts: 1,058 Member
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    I also have a really low heart rate, and always have. I haven't been diagnosed with anything, but I do worry about it sometimes.
    I eat healthily, only really exercise once a week (and don't push myself too hard) but still have blackout/fainting spells every now and then.

    Usually when I can feel myself about to black out, I just have to sit down and slowly try to calm myself down and then eat/drink something sugary and it seems to help.

    Even at my highest weight ever, I still had these problems...

    How is your circulation? Are you often cold, or do your appendages sometimes get bluish?
  • temperoath
    temperoath Posts: 18
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    Bradycardia appears in different situations:

    1. Super fit athlete, or some young people whose heart and lungs work more efficiently together and are able to distribute more inhaled oxygen more efficiently (I believe Lance Armstrong is bradycardic), or

    2. A person with cardiac arrhythmia's (abnormal heartbeat) caused by an underlying health problem.

    If you see your doctor and your health checks out then you probably fall under the 1st category.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    I would write down all my fears and questions and make another appt at the doctor's office.

    He/she should be the one to explain in detail. If this dr doesn't do that, find another one that will.

    I find if I have a list of questions they respond very very well.

    I have a friend who has low BP and HR, she is over 40 and never had an issues. She has been sedentary and very athletic and it has never bothered her.

    I hope you get the answers you need to help you sleep at night!

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