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Anonymous Guest
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:33 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: Heart Rate Maxed Out |
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I started riding as an adult last August. I quit cigarette smoking on November 16, 2006. I have continued to use smokeless tobacco, dipping. My endurance still suffers. I don't know if it's because of smoking for years (I'm 40, started recreationally at age 15), continuing to use tobacco or both. What do you think? I use a Polar HR monitor. My average heart rate at the first TMBRA race in Tapatio Springs was 197. Is this dangerous? I "blew up" before the first turn, but finished the race. Any suggestions? Will my endurance increase as I ride? Thanks. |
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The Bike Doc 250+
Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 1398 Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:57 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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zoey7115:
Nicotine is a stimulant that constricts blood vessel impeding the delivery of oxygen to the muscles (including the legs and the heart). It can cause persisting muscle spasms by excess stimulation of the muscle fibers. Smokeless (better refferred to as spit tobacco for what it is) signifcantly raises blood pressure. For someone who has normal blood pressure, the increase in blood pressure by smokeless tobacco is enough to push them into the hypertensive range (increases of 19mm in systolic and a 14 mm increase in diastolic pressure has been observed) and for someone with hypertension, make the blood pressure control more difficult. Heart rate can be increased by 19 beats per minute. Smokeless tobacco has been shown to increase total colesterol to greater than 240. There is a three fold increase risk for diabetes in smokeless tobacco users and a 1.4 times increase risk for death from heart disease. Risk for oral cancer is also substantially increases by 50-fold. So in short the answer to your first question is a resounding YES!.
Sugggestions: quit all forms of tobacco. If you need help talk with your doctor. You may benefit from nicotine substitute therapy that is gradually weaned off over several weeks. Or quit cold turkey. It can be done. You will feel irritable, have tobacco cravings but it will not kill you. (It might kill someone else if they cross you at the wrong time when you are having a nicotine fit though!) Some interesting studies have show patients have reported they would quit tobacco if their doctor told them to quit, and many patients have done just that. So the Bike Doc is telling you now, quit!
Your stamina will improve. Your heart rate will come down for a similar level of exersion and your resting heart rate will come down. You will substantially decrease your risks for all those undesirable consequences by quitting all forms of tobacco.
Thanks for asking. Someone else may benefit from this information shared. _________________ Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc |
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JustinLee New
Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Posts: 95 Location: Downtown Houston
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:08 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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I don't want to appear to disagree with Dr Nolan on any of his points! I applaud your effort to quit smoking and become healthier! It's courageous and difficult. I hope you can go all the way!
If you question was simply, "is a heart rate of 197 dangerous?" it is not. I have a friend who did his master's thesis on heart rate training (this was before it had become general knowledge). His test group was the University of Arkansas track team (NCAA champions like 17 times in a row or something silly like that). He found that the lactic threshold of these national-class athelete tended to be extreme: either their heart never went over 100 BPM or it was 190-200. He said only few had MAX heart rates that fit the 220-age bit.
I asked him the same question you did, because, like you, I freaked out when I saw my HR go above 190 for extended periods. Turns out I'm just freaky - I've seen HR's above 210 (and up to 220!!). Seems one's heart most efficient heart rate is as individual as his shoe size. |
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The Bike Doc 250+
Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 1398 Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:15 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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Justin Lee:
Look at the big picture not just the number. The heart rate number and blowing up are both issues that Zoey raised. The response I provided was targeted to both issues. Do not discount the nicotine affect on the heart rate and limiting of blood flow to the muscles which, in turn could percipitate the "blowing up".
Thanks, _________________ Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc |
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