Just curious if i so called “athletes heart” affects performance times?
that is not an arrhythmia. a-fib, svt,…those are arrhythmia and yes they do affect performance
Just curious if i so called “athletes heart” affects performance times?
Athletes heart is an adaptation, not an arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is an interruption of the normal heartbeat, and yes it can/will affect your performance.
John
To answer the thread title? Hell yes. Very aware of how it affects someone personally.
To answer your topic question, not really.
my mistake, i meant arrythmia where you have irregular heart beat which poses no health risks
.
It depends on the type of arrhythmia. There are several types. Some will have no impact on performance for many athletes. So will
have dramatic impact.
You will need to specify what you mean by “irregular heart beat that does not pose health risk.” There are many types of arrhythmia, as noted above.
my mistake, i meant arrythmia where you have irregular heart beat which poses no health risks
Unless you have had it evaluated and diagnosed by a cardiologist, then it would be difficult to say that it poses no health risk. What started as a few skipped beats here and there for me evolved into 8 - 10 hour episodes where I could barely stand up.
Two ablations and medication later, I can barely run a 22 minute 5k when I used to be in the 18’s consistantly.
my mistake, i meant arrythmia where you have irregular heart beat which poses no health risks
Unless you have had it evaluated and diagnosed by a cardiologist, then it would be difficult to say that it poses no health risk. What started as a few skipped beats here and there for me evolved into 8 - 10 hour episodes where I could barely stand up.
Two ablations and medication later, I can barely run a 22 minute 5k when I used to be in the 18’s consistantly.
I had halter monitor evaluation done a couple of years ago and results were judged to not be a health concern, i have occassional missed beats then sped up beats, the only way I would notice is if I was feeling pulse. Is it common for theis type of arrhythmia to devlop into something more serious like a-fib?
Isolated PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) are probably more common than people realize (ie. they’re unaware they are having them). If they stay as such, then they probably have no significant affect on cardiac output and thus no change in performance. I see them on patients somewhat regularly and can have them myself.
However, These can convert into ventricular tachycardia. I won’t say they always do, but there is an increased risk. I think its important to avoid stimulants, lack of sleep, stress etc that seem to exacerbate the situation.
If you have ventricular tachycardia, then yes, performance is diminished.
In the whole scheme of things, to say that any arrhythmia is not a health concern is a bit optimistic.
Isolated PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) are probably more common than people realize (ie. they’re unaware they are having them). If they stay as such, then they probably have no significant affect on cardiac output and thus no change in performance. I see them on patients somewhat regularly and can have them myself.
However, These can convert into ventricular tachycardia. I won’t say they always do, but there is an increased risk. I think its important to avoid stimulants, lack of sleep, stress etc that seem to exacerbate the situation.
If you have ventricular tachycardia, then yes, performance is diminished.
In the whole scheme of things, to say that any arrhythmia is not a health concern is a bit optimistic.
You win for understatement of the year! 
I do concur with everything, though, from my experience.
Isolated PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) are probably more common than people realize (ie. they’re unaware they are having them). If they stay as such, then they probably have no significant affect on cardiac output and thus no change in performance. I see them on patients somewhat regularly and can have them myself.
However, These can convert into ventricular tachycardia. I won’t say they always do, but there is an increased risk. I think its important to avoid stimulants, lack of sleep, stress etc that seem to exacerbate the situation.
If you have ventricular tachycardia, then yes, performance is diminished.
In the whole scheme of things, to say that any arrhythmia is not a health concern is a bit optimistic.
They meant that the arrythmia as it stands now is not a problem when viewing results of halter monitor.
Isolated PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) are probably more common than people realize (ie. they’re unaware they are having them). If they stay as such, then they probably have no significant affect on cardiac output and thus no change in performance. I see them on patients somewhat regularly and can have them myself.
However, These can convert into ventricular tachycardia. I won’t say they always do, but there is an increased risk. I think its important to avoid stimulants, lack of sleep, stress etc that seem to exacerbate the situation.
If you have ventricular tachycardia, then yes, performance is diminished.
In the whole scheme of things, to say that any arrhythmia is not a health concern is a bit optimistic.
They meant that the arrythmia as it stands now is not a problem when viewing results of halter* monitor.
*holter.
John
I recently wore a monitor for a month due to an irregular heartbeat. After family doc got the results she sent me to see cardiologist. Found out last Monday (6 days before goal marathon… was told not run marathon as well) that I need to have an electrophysiology study which is a minor surgery and if they find what they think they will, they will perform a cardiac ablation while they are in there. From what I have read this is the most common “fix” for more serious arrhythmia’s.
As far is performance is concerned, I am not sure but in my case I have one interesting note although I don’t know if it is related. In 2012 when training for first Ironman, my resting HR was around 50. I started training for the marathon this year in Feb and this summer I was running 55-70 miles per week and was by far in the best running shape of my life but my resting HR was normally 65-70 beats per minute…seems kind of strange to me that it would get that much higher.
I have periodic PAC/PVC episodes.
(The cardiologist was unable to differentiate between premature atrial contractions and premature ventrical contraction in my case).
What happens is that a trigger event causes an unnecessary and mis-timed series of contractions. The trigger is usually something startling- like a jump into cold water or a rapid change of pace.
The effect is a definite loss of efficiency in circulation.
Which, of course, causes a noticeable decline in athletic performance.
I have had these episodes my whole life. They were more annoying when I was younger and a competitive swimmer. I usually was mentally prepared for the shock of cold water in big events - and I did not get the PVC/PACs then. But at small events I often did.
With age, the episodes have become markedly less intense. And oddly less frequent also. (Unfortunately my heart is not as strong either).
The cardiologist I saw about this was noticeable unconcerned about the whole thing. (Maybe the waiting room full of heart attack victims made him less concerned). At the time, I was having an episode that lasted a couple of weeks. I was very concerned myself. (I had never had an episode that lasted longer than a couple of hours).
The cardiologist seemed particularly intelligent. Here are some things I think I learned (or already knew).
The PAC/PVC might be caused or aggrevated by this or that (caffeine, electrolyte imbalance, congenital mis-wiring - -but nothing was certain or could be proven.
The PVC/PAC s were in the same class of things as cramps and muscle twitches. (Only more serious because of the muscle involved).
That the “research” on athletes and exercise related arrhythmia had no academic rigor at all. And was actually worse than anecdotal.
But, it would not be surprising that the repetitive vigorous use of a muscle, might create damaging scarring (as well as strengthening and other posititive changes).
Wow surprising that there might be occassional negative side effects from a generally positive activity!!
Bottom line my heart function was great, even during PVC/PAC. That he did not want to see me again unless something changed.
The condition was common and probably the least serious thing that a cardiologist has to deal with.
That reading medical studies that are discussed in triathlon magazines is like trying to attribute sense to the words of an idiot - “lots of sound and furry” but ultimately meaning nothing.
I have a partial left bundle branch block and inverted T waves. It was found during my high risk physical in boot camp. It didn’t have any affect on the Navy sending right on through to the next stage.
That was 35 years ago. You can’t imagine the stress I’ve been put under since then, and never had a problem
So for that arrhythmia at least, it isn’t a problem.
Here is my last ECG. PVCs, inverted T-wave, elevated ST-segment, bradycardia 
I have had bad bad periods of PVCs. All tests negative and it seems that excess coffee
and definitely stress are the main triggers. So, now it’s decaf only, and when work stresses
me out, I go home
No drop in performance. And virtually no PVCs since February. The only issue is that you
become a lot more aware of your heart beat and literally can’t miss one now. I can count
my heart beats just sitting there and thinking about it.
