Heart Started Racing After Lifting Heavy Weight. Reason?

Posted on Thu, 28 Mar 2013

Question: I just lifted up something heavy and afterwards my heart started racing. I also got weak and shakey for awhile. Why? Im 29 years old. Not over weight.

Answered by Dr. Y V Siva Sankara Murty (28 minutes later)

Hi,

Thanks for your query.

Lifting heavy weight can increase the heart rate.

Monitoring the heart rate can identify if this is within the normal range or much higher.
In conditions like anemia (low hemoglobin level) the heart rate can shoot up much higher and a person may feel shaky. Do you have any pallor of the palms, soles, oral mucosa etc.

It can also shoot much higher in heart problems like arrythmias. ECG taken during an episode can help in the diagnosis.

So your doctor after physical examination may perform an ECG (along with other investigations as required) to rule out any pathology that may be responsible for this.

If there is no problem with the heart or one is not anaemic gradual increase of weight during weight training may help.

Hope I answered your query.

Take care

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T