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Is Exercising Advisable When Diagnosed With High BP?
Question: I am 33 year old male, take atorvastatin 20 mg daily, Metoprolol Tartrate 25 mg 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the evening daily, Claritin 24 hour allergy meds (not D). My cholesterol and blood work have been good the last few checks other than my Triglycerides which were around 200 (LDL 110, HDL 41). My dad died of a heart attack at age 45, he smoked, did not eat well, and did not exercise much. I fear my family history and this has caused me anxiety, which I believe has contributed to my high blood pressure (typically around 128/89, heart rate between 80-95 resting).
I have lost 8 pounds, been eating better, drinking more water/less pop and coffee, and started exercising more regularly since my last cholesterol check, so I don't know how much that has been improved, but my blood pressure and heart rate don't seem to be getting better. In fact, sometimes on the treadmill my heart rate can get into the 180s...I generally feel fine, though. My question is, how much should I be worrying about heart attack in the near future? Is it okay for me to continue exercising?
I have lost 8 pounds, been eating better, drinking more water/less pop and coffee, and started exercising more regularly since my last cholesterol check, so I don't know how much that has been improved, but my blood pressure and heart rate don't seem to be getting better. In fact, sometimes on the treadmill my heart rate can get into the 180s...I generally feel fine, though. My question is, how much should I be worrying about heart attack in the near future? Is it okay for me to continue exercising?
Brief Answer:
Yes, highly recommended to exercise
Detailed Answer:
Greetings and welcome to HealthcareMagic. I understand your concerns. Thank you for your question.
Well, everything you have described is pretty much normal, but I will have to take this step by step. Of course, the genetic factor is a risk factor for heart disease and coronary artery disease, but the fact that you have only one case in your family tree with cardiac death at young age does not determine that you will have the exact thing, in the exact same way or at the exact/round age. There are also a list of factors which, when combined with the genetic propensity for heart disease, may or may not cause coronary artery disease in your future.
My opinion is that you are too young to have any of these problem and, also, I think that your blood pressure is high because of the anxiety. Just for reference, normal, standardized from the worldwide population, blood pressure figures are 100-139/60-89 mmHg. And I am referring to the resting state.
It is highly recommended for every individual to exercise, since physical activity has a great positive exponent physically and psychologically. The heart is the pump organ which is "designed" to cope with meeting needs of end-organs, therefore it is normal for everyone for the heart rate and the blood pressure to "spike" while exercising. It is merely a compensatory mechanism. In fact, there is a formula for that (220 - age, in your case 187 beats per minute), meaning for the maximal expected (and normal) heart rate during exercise. Therefore, you should not worry.
The triglyceride levels in these figures are not worrisome, since they are the partition of fat that also reflects the last meal. By keeping to exercise, keeping your cholesterol levels within norm and not smoking and not drinking more than 30 g ethanol a day, you basically are fighting perfectly the risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Actually, that is what everyone is recommended to do. It is only the age of 45 years old for male members of the population, which marks the "entry to the hot zone" of risk for cardiac disease. I think that no further measures should be undertaken in your case. Just the above mentioned and, well, try to relax and not disrupt your quality of life by worrying.
I hope I was helpful with my answer. I am happy to help if you have any follow-up questions.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Yes, highly recommended to exercise
Detailed Answer:
Greetings and welcome to HealthcareMagic. I understand your concerns. Thank you for your question.
Well, everything you have described is pretty much normal, but I will have to take this step by step. Of course, the genetic factor is a risk factor for heart disease and coronary artery disease, but the fact that you have only one case in your family tree with cardiac death at young age does not determine that you will have the exact thing, in the exact same way or at the exact/round age. There are also a list of factors which, when combined with the genetic propensity for heart disease, may or may not cause coronary artery disease in your future.
My opinion is that you are too young to have any of these problem and, also, I think that your blood pressure is high because of the anxiety. Just for reference, normal, standardized from the worldwide population, blood pressure figures are 100-139/60-89 mmHg. And I am referring to the resting state.
It is highly recommended for every individual to exercise, since physical activity has a great positive exponent physically and psychologically. The heart is the pump organ which is "designed" to cope with meeting needs of end-organs, therefore it is normal for everyone for the heart rate and the blood pressure to "spike" while exercising. It is merely a compensatory mechanism. In fact, there is a formula for that (220 - age, in your case 187 beats per minute), meaning for the maximal expected (and normal) heart rate during exercise. Therefore, you should not worry.
The triglyceride levels in these figures are not worrisome, since they are the partition of fat that also reflects the last meal. By keeping to exercise, keeping your cholesterol levels within norm and not smoking and not drinking more than 30 g ethanol a day, you basically are fighting perfectly the risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Actually, that is what everyone is recommended to do. It is only the age of 45 years old for male members of the population, which marks the "entry to the hot zone" of risk for cardiac disease. I think that no further measures should be undertaken in your case. Just the above mentioned and, well, try to relax and not disrupt your quality of life by worrying.
I hope I was helpful with my answer. I am happy to help if you have any follow-up questions.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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