BP vs. Exercise Questions

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ALCapshaw2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 20, 2003
Messages
6,910
Location
North Alabama
I know that Blood Pressure rises with Exercise.

Is there an Upper Limit Guideline for BP during Exercise?

I also know that the faster your BP drops following exercise, the better the condition of your heart.

Does (or can) BP drop Below Normal after exercise?

What is the significance of unequal BP (i.e., Left Arm BP does Not Equal Right Arm BP) ?
 
I don't know any of these answers but I do know that right & left are not the same. nor the wrist.

Maybe tobago will enlighten us. He's very good at this and has become nearly a master since he joined VR.
 
Questions a little too technical for me but I can speak from my own experience.

During stress test the doctor monitors blood pressure but I don't know the limit.

My exercise is fast walking 3 miles a day but I don't know my blood pressure during that time.

I've checked blood pressure 30 minutes after walking and it will be the lowest of the day.

My blood pressure is always higher of a morning and the lowest at night. Usually the highest is before I get out of bed.

I usually use the left arm. Notice most nurses do the same.

I wear a heart rate monitor while walking. Only started that in the last year.
 
my bp right after exercise drops because my arteries and such are wide open ( dialated )

My norm is 110/70 and after a few miles on the tread mill I can see 80-90/50-60
 
During cardiac rehab Brian was told that if his BP dropped DURING exercise that he should stop. His BP was always low after exercising. In fact it was often so low that they did not want to let him leave - they would usually make him drink a mountain dew.
 
Hydration is a factor

Hydration is a factor

Also, after exercise, especially if it's very strenuous, if you don't rehydrate to your pre-exercise weight, your BP will drop. In my case, since my AVR , this is more pronounced. It's not uncommon for me to lose 4 lbs on a weekend bike ride in the summer. There's just no way to replenish the fluids as fast as you lose them. If I don't rehydrate gradually over the next few hours after my ride, my BP will be low, especially upon standing, and I'll get light headed. I've started weighing myself religiously right before and right after long hot rides so I have a target weight gain in mind.
 
hey,

I agree with deanne that if the blood pressure stops rising or drops during exercise its not good, means the heart isnt able to keep up, as far as an upper limit I am not sure, but difference between right arm and left arm (if its significant) can signify a coarctation of the aorta, same with difference between arm and leg BP
my BP doesnt rise much with exercise, my doc has suggested drinking lots and eating extra salt if I need to to try and keep my BP up
 
There is a big difference between aerobic exercise and isometric exercise.

During aerobic exercise, BP will gradually rise as you exercise.

With isometric exercise, such as weight lifting, muscle contractions squeeze the blood vessels, restricting blood flow and an spiking the BP. Worst case would be an intercranial bleed where the pressure spike causes a burst vessel in the brain. Obviously this is one of the reasons they discourage heavy weight lifting post-op, especially if you're on Coumadin.

I don't know specifically what my BP is during exercise. Pre-AVR I had borderline hypertension with a BP around 140/80 with an enlarged left ventricle and a resting heart rate of 72 BPM. Eight years post-op my BP is 120/70, the enlargement has reversed itself, and my resting HR is around 44 BPM.
Certainly the new valve is the main reason for the improvement, but I also have done a lot of aerobic exercise over the past five years.

I always wear a heart rate monitor during exercise and keep my HR at 75-85%of my lactic, or aerobic, threshhold. If my HR gets too high I slow down.

When I do long bike rides I plan to drink about 16 oz of Gatorade per hour. If I don't then I tend to get light-headed, especially here in the Florida heat.

Mark
 
Interesting topic.

If you aren't on Coumadin, is there any risk to heavy weight lifting? Not that I care to lift heavy weights, but the local (and not real well informed) cardiologists recommend against it.

I have wondered what my BP does on my bike. Off the bike, at home, it is usually in the 115/75 range. At the cardiologist's office, it is usually a good bit higher. I take it at home, keep a record and give the record to the cardiologist.

Do any of you have any thoughts about the effect of exercise on the longevity of a tissue valve? I have read many different articles on how long these valves last, but I haven't seen anything suggesting that exercise affects the prosthesis valve. Normally, exercise is good for our hearts, so I'm hoping that is true for my new valve too. Mooooo.
 
YES! The problem with weight lifting for Valve Replacement Recipients is that Blood Pressure Spikes when lifting, especially if/when you hold your breath.

Some time ago, there was discussion of how Arnold Schwarzneger (sp?) Blew His (Tissue?) Valve by lifting too much weight too soon after replacement surgery. Do a search for his name (check the spelling) and you should be able to find it. Be sure to specify "any date" in the search.
 
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