anyone know effect of stimulants on inneficient valve?

[Enudely]

Hi folks
Does anyone know the excact effects of stimulants such and caffeine, and marijuanna on an insufficient valve?
I've been told that it's good to exercise to build up my heart muscles. Is this the same thing as making my heart work harder with outside stimulants? My intuition tells me that there's a difference and the the latter is not good......but I don't know if this is true or why

????

 

[BillCobit]

Arrhythmia vs Elevated HR through Exercise

Arrhythmia vs Elevated HR through Exercise

Enudely, follow your intuition!!

Caffeine (a central nervous system stimulant) and marijuana (a central nervous system depressant), both can disturb heart rhythm, and can exacerbate heart function problems already related to valve dysfunction.

None of this cr*p is any good for your heart. You may be able to abuse these substances w/o ill effect, but you're certainly not doing yourself good. Elevated heart rate and fibrillation (rapid, uncontrolled heart muscle contractions) caused by drugs does nothing to exercise and strengthen the heart muscle.

You live in beautiful Northern California?!? Why not exercise the old fashioned way! Hike, bike etc. That would be a better answer.

 

[Creed3]

I know this is a little off the original thread, but it made me think of something I was told many years ago. About 8 years ago or so, I went to a class that was offered to people with anxiety problems. I have been diagnosed with anxiety. The person teaching the class, an MD, went on to tell us all that when you are having an anxiety attack, a lot of the time you think you are having a heart attack or something. He also went on to say that your heart pounds and beats harder. He told us to look at it like this....Exercising and cardiovascular workouts are good for your heart and your heart pounds then, then we should realize that when our hearts are beating hard and pounding from anxiety that it is doing our hearts good. I look back at that now and think that was a bunch of bull. I'm sure all the years of extra stress on my heart from my anxiety certainly didn't help my weakness. It is a different kind of stimulation. When I am having trouble with anxiety, my blood pressure also had a tendency to go up some (borderline hbp). You have to be very careful about the things you hear out there. Do your research. Recreational drugs are not a good way to go. They do much more damage than you could probably ever even consider.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[Enudely]

it's good to hear this from you all even though I have sort of known it. I have always sort of included stimulants in my lifestyle but am now realizing that I need to stop. Caffeine is easy for me, it's the other forementioned stimulant that will prove difficult. I feel that it's not good for my heart though so it's time to stop. Thanks for giving me an extra push!!

 

[JimL]

Probably my biggest problem after surgery was arrhythmia. There were several factors indicated (I read somewhere) in causing these, namely caffeine, nicotine, alchohol, and stress. The first three are easy, the fourth seems impossible to control.

There was a delightful thread some time ago on using marijuana for pain; you might want to look that one up.