medlifecrisis
Regular
Thanks everyone! Really nice to read the kind comments and sorry I missed the discussion.
For those that can't watch (I'd understand, I can't stand hearing my voice!) don't worry - your low resting heart rate is a good thing. The twist to this story which I didn't want to mention in advance is performance-enhancing drugs, specifically EPO. EPO increases your red cell count making your blood thicker. This can occur in people who move to high altitude, smokers or people with lung disease (ie all get lower oxygen than normal) and is called polycythaemia. It can predispose the person to clots forming but isn't a HUGE risk as most people's hearts are within 60-100bpm.
However, combine it with crazily low heart rates found in elite athletes and it can be a recipe for disaster. The reason they die in their sleep is that's when the basal metabolic rate drops lowest.
A few responses to people:
For those that can't watch (I'd understand, I can't stand hearing my voice!) don't worry - your low resting heart rate is a good thing. The twist to this story which I didn't want to mention in advance is performance-enhancing drugs, specifically EPO. EPO increases your red cell count making your blood thicker. This can occur in people who move to high altitude, smokers or people with lung disease (ie all get lower oxygen than normal) and is called polycythaemia. It can predispose the person to clots forming but isn't a HUGE risk as most people's hearts are within 60-100bpm.
However, combine it with crazily low heart rates found in elite athletes and it can be a recipe for disaster. The reason they die in their sleep is that's when the basal metabolic rate drops lowest.
A few responses to people:
- "Am I going to die?" - I guarantee it. But hopefully not for many years
- Footballers dying while playing - absolutely, another tragic cause of young deaths. However this is normally due to inherited conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (leading cause of death in athletes under 40), abnormal rhythm problems (Fabrice Muamba) or other structural and electrical problems (James Taylor (cricket)). All of these can be exacerbated by exercise, hence they tend to die/have a cardiac arrest while playing.
- Resting heart rate I would normally take to mean HR while awake, at rest. Not while asleep - don't listen to those lying Fitbits which flatter you! Time it yourself over 30 seconds or so. I recommend everyone to track it (once a month is fine but obviously the quantified self and wearables has exploded) and assess response to exercise.