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What Does High Resting Heart Rate After Quitting Smoking Indicate?

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Posted on Fri, 8 Jul 2016
Question: Iam 25 and 75 kg been smoking since 6 to 7 years but i went cold turkey 29 days ago and before quitting i used to take my heart rate reading and it used be between 60 to 69 without smokig and after smoking it used to be around 80 to 87 but iv noticed that now my resting heart rate has increased a bit its usually around 76 to 82 , why is that ? I mean after quitting my heart rate go down
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (19 hours later)
Brief Answer:
still heart rate is within normal limit

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for writing to us. I would like to congratulate you on stopping smoking. This will prevent many health hazards of future.

Normal heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 per minute so your heart rate is any time within normal limit. No need to worry about the same.

Smoking affects almost every system of the body including cardiovascular, respiratory and autonomic nervous system. Heart rate is determined by these three system according to physiological condition and environmental changes of the body. After smoking oxygen concentration of blood is reduced. Due to increase in sympathetic tone heart rate is increased as heart has to function more to supply oxygenated blood to peripheral tissue. That is why your heart was increased.

As you let smoking it leads to some withdrawal symptoms. This leads to increased sympathetic tone and high heart rate. However within few weeks this tone gets normal and heart crate comes to base line. However you have smoked for 6 to 7 years and this had caused many changes in all 3 systems as I mentioned above, and your heart rate is somewhat higher than it was before smoking due to these changes. Still 76 to 82 is absolutely normal.

The main point is continue abstinence and never smoke again. At least one year abstinence is required to prevent relapse.


Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (33 hours later)
But my heart rate is a sign of my poor cardio health ,right? And one more thing i measured my resting heart rate and is less then 70 when i wake up in he morning but while sitting or just lying down doing nothing during the day my heart rate is 78-82 is that somthing out of the ordinary
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
no, your heart rate is fine

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for follow up. These are normal physiological changes.

During sleep our whole body is at rest. The basal metabolism rate (BMR) is at lowest level so body needs less oxygen and energy and heart has to pump less so heart rate is lowest when one wakes up from sleep. During daytime when person is awake, BMR is at normal rate which is responsible for somewhat higher heart rate than that at sleep. So whatever you are observing is just physiological variation of heart rate and not suggesting any cardiac health problem.

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

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Chintan Solanki

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2406 Questions

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What Does High Resting Heart Rate After Quitting Smoking Indicate?

Brief Answer: still heart rate is within normal limit Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for writing to us. I would like to congratulate you on stopping smoking. This will prevent many health hazards of future. Normal heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 per minute so your heart rate is any time within normal limit. No need to worry about the same. Smoking affects almost every system of the body including cardiovascular, respiratory and autonomic nervous system. Heart rate is determined by these three system according to physiological condition and environmental changes of the body. After smoking oxygen concentration of blood is reduced. Due to increase in sympathetic tone heart rate is increased as heart has to function more to supply oxygenated blood to peripheral tissue. That is why your heart was increased. As you let smoking it leads to some withdrawal symptoms. This leads to increased sympathetic tone and high heart rate. However within few weeks this tone gets normal and heart crate comes to base line. However you have smoked for 6 to 7 years and this had caused many changes in all 3 systems as I mentioned above, and your heart rate is somewhat higher than it was before smoking due to these changes. Still 76 to 82 is absolutely normal. The main point is continue abstinence and never smoke again. At least one year abstinence is required to prevent relapse. Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further. Regards, Dr.Chintan Solanki.