Holter monitor

[calypso]

I got a copy of my Holter monitor results recently and the cardiologist noted that my heart rate dropped to 42 at its lowest during the night. He said this is "perfectly normal in a healthy young adult." To me, it sounds really low. Do any of you guys know your lowest heart rate? I think the slow rate may be a result of the beta blocker I'm taking. And maybe that explains why I'm so out of whack in the early morning.

[justme]

That sounds very low. I think I would talk to another cardiologist. They have my wife's pacemaker set at 50bpm if that gives you an idea of what they consider getting too low. She also used to drop into the levels you stated, but that is why they put in the pacemaker. It can be a sign of NCS. Her heart actually stopped on a TTT the two times she failed it (prior to the pacemaker). 42bpm seems low, but when my wife was in for her last pacemaker clinic her pulse rate was at 57 for a bit and they didn't seem concerned. Then again, her electrophysiologist didn't seem concerned about her 180 rates either and Mayo was definitely concerned.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Whenever I have had holter monitors done over the years (late 20s to early 30s), my HR went down as low as 55 bpm at night. 42 does seem a bit low, but I agree the beta blocker could be influencing that. I wasn't taking a beta blocker when I had these tests.

Katherine

[Jackie]

Well, when I had a holter done last summer a few days after the tachy started it showed a range of 30 to 150+ I believe over the 24 hours and the doctor said that was normal. Nobody differentiated when the high or low occured (i.e. sleeping, etc.) but I can only imagine the 30 was when I was asleep. Also, 150+ may be normal doing aerobic exercise, but the most strenuous thing I did that day was sweep my floor. I had gone to the ER the night before with tachycardia and that is when they placed the monitor and sent me home with my first dose of Ativan telling me it was anxiety. I wasn't taking any other medications or anything like beta blockers to that point since it had just been going on a few days at that time. I guess I did wonder if my HR went so low because I took the Ativan that night when I got home from the ER but I'll never know. I don't think the doctor realized that I did very simple activities that day just moving around the house because it was exhausting to do anything and that was how high my HR was. Since I knew I was having the tachycardia, the high didn't surprise me but the low of 30 surely did but like I said they said it was normal so I just try not to think about it. I have always been a very deep sleeper so that is probably why...either I sleep deep because it goes so low or it goes so low because I sleep deep or went that low because of the Ativan though I did ask the doctor that and they said that Ativan wouldn't effect the heart rate. So...like I said I just try not to think about it...maybe I've been that way all my life (i.e. low when sleeping) but I certainly was never that high in my life just sitting around or walking around except that time 5 years ago and then starting again last summer and continuing for months until I started the beta blockers. Anyway, all of this was to say that I agree it sounds low because I thought mine sounded low...I'm not exactly athletic and certainly not physically fit like some here who jog and exercise, etc. I have a sedentary job. So, this must be the standard opinion of doctors that these low numbers are normal...they probably have to see a number like 5 or something at this rate before they think hmmm that does seem low!

[Dawg Tired]

My lowest was 38. My dad, however, has me beat - his lowest was *22*! Yes, he got a pacemaker. I told him that the EP should give our family a group discount! Both of my parents have pacers, I have one and both of my sisters have arrythmias.