Runner's Forum: High resting heart rate?

Hi all,

This is my first time posting, although I've been reading the discussion boards for a couple of months. I am wondering if anyone can educate me about the whole resting heart rate thing. I think mine is too high, but I don't know what to do about it.

I took my pulse this morning for a full minute before getting out of bed. It was 85 bpm. I am a 37 year old female, in pretty good shape. I've exercised regularly for years, primarily for weight control. I've attempted to get into running several times in the past few years - usually only long enough to train for a short race and then I go back to gym workouts. I've currently been on the road for the past 8 weeks or so, training for a 1/2 marathon in December.

One thing that I have always struggled with is poor cardiovascular endurance. My current pace is about 12-12:30/mile. At that pace, my heart rate is generally in the 160's. Once I am warmed up, I can breathe comfortably  there. However, if I go any faster, my HR will go up to the 180's, and I can't breathe. This happens with any sort of cardio exercise. My HR is never less than 150 unless I am walking.

I am frustrated by what I perceive to be lack of progress in this area. I have increased my long runs up to 10 miles, but it takes me 2 hours to do what others can do in 1:45.

P.S. I have seen my doctor about this - he is a runner. Did tests on my heart - all were fine.

Thanks for any insight anyone has about this.

 

 

 

 

usually hrhr is due to fautige/lack of sleep.

When in doubt consult your doctor or stop wearing a pulse watch..

 Patrick

Has your resting Heart rate improved yet?

 If not what is your daily caffine intake?

I'd see another cardiologist, and another, and another. After experiencing heart arythmias for 25 years and seeing many doctors who told me it was nothing - panic attacks, too much caffeine etc.... I was finally diagnosed. Nearly died after a hard run - luckily collapsed right on my own front lawn - where my husband promptly called the ambulance. After surgery am doing much better, but the point is it sometimes it takes awhile to find a doctor who tunes into you. Trust your instincts. If you thinks there's something wrong, there's a good chance you might be right. All the best to you and take care of yourself!

The topic of elevated resting heart rate is one that is attracting a great deal of interest in cardiovascular medicine at the moment. Based on overwhelming epidemiologial research, the ESC (European Society of Cardiology) have included an elevated resting heart rate as an independant cardiovascular risk factor in their 2007 "CV disease prevention guidlines". It has been proven concluselvly that the presence of an elevated resting heart rate is indicative of worsened outcomes in all types of patients (ie, diabetic, non-diabetic, HT, non HT ect). It has also been shown that those "healthy" individuals with an elevated resting heart rate, tend to have shorter lifespans. The cause of such a heart rate would appear to be influenced by a variety of issues, eg genetics, basal sympathetic activity, nitric oxide ect - however the very presence of such an elevated resting heart rate is now thought to be casue for concern, regardless of the cause (obviously ruling out secondary causes, eg fever). Beta blockers have been used to control heart rate for decades, however their side effects (eg, fatigue) have made them undesirable for many pts (ie runners - as treated pts are often unable to increase their heart with excercise). A new treatment recently registered in Europe, called Ivabradine, is seen to present exciting opportunities for controlling elevated resting heart rate. 2 points of caution however - while it has been proven that an elevated resting heart rate is a risk factor, it is yet unproven that reducing the rate with medication is able to provide a morbidity/mortality benefit - although this looks likely. The second point is that the risk for females with elevated resting heart rates would appear to be lower than in males - ie women can "get away" with slightly higher HR's, without the associated risk. Having said that, a HR of over 80, even in a female, is probably something that should be kept tabs on. It is important to measure resting heart rate at the same time every day - after 10 minutes of rest, and twice in a ten minute period. A Holter ECG machine would also provide an accurate reading, and an ambulatory BP machine could also be used to record HR over a 24 hour period.