Rest heart rate

[BoeingDriver99]

Hi there,

I signed up for some fitness sessions and part of is wearing a heart rate monitor for the entire session. It’s high intensity interval training. I’m a reasonable healthy bloke in my mid-thirties. I can run 5K in under 30 minutes quite comfortably. So not a fitness freak but not terribly unfit. During the session my heart rate peaked at 107% and stayed above 85% for most of it and they were a little concerned. I wasn’t going all out or out of breath at any stage. We then had a chat after about having a naturally higher heart rate than standard.

I’ve never had any issues with my medical and hope I won’t! But it made me wonder about that. Is a higher than normal resting heart rate a thing? Will it have an affect in the future?

Many thanks for any info

[Radgirl]

We measure heart rate in beats per minute nor percentages so your post means very little. Remember the 'concerned' are I suspect not doctors merely people who have done a few weeks non specific training to be trainers.....

I would ignore any comments, but why not take your resting heart rate? Relax for at least 10 minutes then feel your pulse at the wrist against a watch. It should be regular. If it is under 80 consider it normal. If not ask your GP to measure it

Good luck

[BoeingDriver99]

Thanks for the response, my heart rate would be over 190 at periods during exercise. Resting heart rate is under 80.

My question is more in general though. Is a higher than normal heart rate a thing? Can someone have a heart rate that is one standard deviation away from the average and still be considered healthy? And able to hold a Class 1?

[Radgirl]

Your heart rate at under 80 is NORMAL. When you exercise it will increase, and the younger and fitter you are the more it can increase. Personally I dont think 190 as a maximum is that high - maybe you werent really trying :rolleyes: Many athletes can get over 200 although people who dont exercise and are less fit will not.

We dont have averages nor standard deviations for heart rates I am afraid. Too much normal variation. There are many reasons for a fast resting heart rate including atrial fibrillation and heart failure, which are not healthy and would not get a Class 1, and anxiety which is common and should do

You seem on the evidence provided within normal limits

[421dog]

The concerns for heart rate from an actual medical standpoint (like on a Bruce protocol) are
1) failure to get close to predicted maximum
2) a bunch of arrythmias
3) failure to return to resting rate in a reasonable time post-exercise

I, as an ame, don’t really get worried if an airman comes in with a HR that is 86 and regular if there aren’t any other warning signs.,,

[BoeingDriver99]

Ok, great info! Thanks for the insight.

[Tom!]

During my medical in the AME office my rest heart rate is 90 and 150/90bp. At home it’s 50-55 120 (tel:50-55 120)/80:}

[400drvr]

Off topic but if you want to maintain your health here's my advice. Watch your weight. I've been flying long haul for 30 years and my weight has gone from 150 lbs to 210 lbs. My blood pressure and waist line have gone up as well. At my last medical my AME said I may need blood pressure meds soon.. Great another pill. So through my wife's company I enrolled in a weight loss program. It's not a fad diet, no need to buy special food or take stuff with you on the road. As pilots we live an unhealthy life style and when I used to eat a meal was over in 5 minutes. That's a bad way to eat. So in the first week I have started to change how and when I eat. This program teaches you how to change the bad habits. In the first 6 days I have lost 6 pounds. So if interested checkout Naturally Slim, it's not cheap but it would be an investment in your health and on going career.

Sorry for the off topic post.

[Big Pistons Forever]

I am reasonable fit ( I run a 5.5km loop on average 5 times a week) but a long way from elite athlete territory. My resting heart rate is 46 with a 115/75 blood pressure. My doctor says it is genetic, God decided to set my heart rate at long range economy cruise :cool:

He also said that I should have a triple Espresso before my annual ECG because if the trace is below 50 it will trigger a bradycardia warning and cause a second level of review which is a PTIA.

[bafanguy]

Off topic but if you want to maintain your health here's my advice. Watch your weight. I've been flying long haul for 30 years and my weight has gone from 150 lbs to 210 lbs. My blood pressure and waist line have gone up as well.

Yep, my experience has been that weight increase is a negative. I've never had BP issues but at 6 feet tall and 180 lbs my A1C crept a click or two into the pre-diabetic range. The cardiologist barked at me until I got serious about carb intake.

I went full on to drop carb intake and it's no fun. Dropped potatoes, pasta, rice, deserts and bread to a great extent. Read the nutrition labels. It's all in one's head...purely mental. Did I mention it's no fun ?

And as I sit here now, my resting pulse rate is 50. I've exercised at least some for decades and have done 150 minutes/week for the last 15 years by getting to 75% of the max heart rate for my age (220-age X 75%)...about 130pbm. I do 30 minutes, 5 days a week. I suppose you can break up that 150 minutes how you wish and get the same results ? Don't know...

I lost track of the timeline (maybe a year ?) but I now weight 150 lbs with an A1C back in the "normal" range. It's a sacrifice and I hope it's worth it long term. Maybe I can live long enough to be a burden on my kids...it's a goal. :D Everyone should have a goal.

[back to Boeing]

I am reasonable fit ( I run a 5.5km loop on average 5 times a week) but a long way from elite athlete territory. My resting heart rate is 46 with a 115/75 blood pressure. My doctor says it is genetic, God decided to set my heart rate at long range economy cruise :cool:

He also said that I should have a triple Espresso before my annual ECG because if the trace is below 50 it will trigger a bradycardia warning and cause a second level of review which is a PTIA.

Ditto. Love the long range cruise term for it. Hadn't heard that one before. At my last ecg my heart rate was in bradycardia range. AME said can you increase your heart rate without moving. Wasn't working until he said imagine all the time off i'd get with my kids when the CAA were investigating. That got it going!!!

Max heart rate is theoretical but the 220-age is a decent starting point. Another thing to look at is that your heart rate returns to normal in a decent time interval. A reduction of 12 BPM per minute after exercise seems to be an accepted norm.