Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

[Landsurfer]

I’ve just been diagnosed with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This is a result of untreated high blood pressure over a long period ....
Anyone else been diagnosed with this condition and what effect on my cycling should i expect.

 

[fossyant]

Best link here:-

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiomyopathy/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy

Treatment may affect your cycling - i.e. certain blood medicines can lower your heart rate, and may affect the higher outputs.

Any mention of meds yet ?

 

[Landsurfer]

This is the weird thing, I’ve had high blood pressure for years and years, and doctor after doctor has commented on it but never any treatment ...
The Clinician carrying out my cardiac ultrasound on Friday evening was stunned that i was not on medication ...

 

[fossyant]

How high was high, as I know, for some weird reason, I get white coat syndrome when blood pressure is done. Give me a 24h meter and it's fine - it does go through the roof when at work...

Your condition can be genetic as well.

 

[Landsurfer]

How high was high, as I know, for some weird reason, I get white coat syndrome when blood pressure is done. Give me a 24h meter and it's fine - it does go through the roof when at work...

Your condition can be genetic as well.

170 -180 / 99 .....

 

[fossyant]

Blimey.. 😠

 

[Brandane]

what effect on my cycling should i expect.

I have an atrial fibrillation, which may or may not be an associated condition according to the link in post #2.
I was diagnosed about 25 years ago, aged mid 30's - but I reckon I had been living with it since my teens. Luckily, mine has been quite successfully treated with 3 pills per day - flecainide acetate and bisoprolol.
As to effects on cycling.... the flecainide does seem to work as a sort of limiter on my heart rate. I don't wear a monitor, so can't quote figures, but I do seem to hit a rate where it refuses to go higher! I just ride within my limits (or maybe it's just an excuse to be lazy) and take it easy. I will never be a fast cyclist, and tend to potter about at 12 to 15 mph depending on the terrain, weather, and choice of bike.
Good luck with whatever course of treatment you and the doctors decide upon.

 

[Landsurfer]

I have an atrial fibrillation, which may or may not be an associated condition according to the link in post #2.
I was diagnosed about 25 years ago, aged mid 30's - but I reckon I had been living with it since my teens. Luckily, mine has been quite successfully treated with 3 pills per day - flecainide acetate and bisoprolol.
As to effects on cycling.... the flecainide does seem to work as a sort of limiter on my heart rate. I don't wear a monitor, so can't quote figures, but I do seem to hit a rate where it refuses to go higher! I just ride within my limits (or maybe it's just an excuse to be lazy) and take it easy. I will never be a fast cyclist, and tend to potter about at 12 to 15 mph depending on the terrain, weather, and choice of bike.
Good luck with whatever course of treatment you and the doctors decide upon.

Many thanks .... i tend to be a 12 - 15 mph potterer at all times ... and prefer longer rides

 

[Landsurfer]

SO ... Visit to the GP this afternoon ... 2nd in 7 days face to face ....
And the short term result is;
Amlodipine 5 mg
Atorvastatin 20 mg
Doxycycline 100 mg
Flixonase nasal spray

So from no meds to this lot ... and i can go cycling !!!!!
Result

 

[yello]

I'm in the process of having a heart condition diagnosed (I've posted on the process and will keep that updated as I go)

Short of it is that we know I have some heart wall thickening in the left ventricle, and several segments of hypokinesia in the heart wall. As long as I don't do too much then I'm fine-ish (so cycling is off the agenda) but I've been warned away from any form of exertion until a complete diagnosis is made. I've changed cardiologist to one who is more knowledgeable of athletic adaptation since my heart (to quote my last doctor's visit) is not like that of a "normal" person.

My previous cardiologist put me on beta blockers, and I've never felt worse in my life. Seriously, I thought I was at death's door. Unbeknown to me was that beta blockers reduce your heart rate - I have a resting pulse of 50 as it is, beta blockers dropped it into the 30s! Google was my friend and saved me; once I stopped taking beta blockers, I felt heaps better.

I was also on 40mg atorvastatin (despite not having a cholesterol problem) and had an angina spray, plus taking an aspirin like medication to reduce risk of blood clots. I think my previous cardiologist went a bit overboard, just to make things easier for my ticker! The statins have now been reduced to 10mg. My cardio appt is next month, hopefully they'll be able to find out wtf is going on.

But it's worrying times if I'm honest and it does mess with my head. All this sitting around doing sod all isn't good for me.

Like you @Landsurfer it kind of came out of the blue.

This is the weird thing, I’ve had high blood pressure for years and years, and doctor after doctor has commented on it but never any treatment ...

I wasn't aware of having high blood pressure (slightly, nothing like yours) either until I came to France 14 odd years ago. My first appt here highlighted it and I was put on meds (5mg perindopril / 5mg amlodipine) I figure the UK had more lenient guide lines.

 

[yello]

I get white coat syndrome when blood pressure is done

Me too. I wore a harness over a weekend to confirm my elevated BP. On meds, my BP now measures fine even when at the docs!

I think in fairness to my previous cardiologist (re the beta blockers) my, for me, anxious/elevated pulse of around 75 looked normal to them and they didn't think I'd have a problem with beta blockers...

Edit: sorry @Landsurfer , didn't mean to hijack your thread 😳

 

[Landsurfer]

Me too. I wore a harness over a weekend to confirm my elevated BP. On meds, my BP now measures fine even when at the docs!

I think in fairness to my previous cardiologist (re the beta blockers) my, for me, anxious/elevated pulse of around 75 looked normal to them and they didn't think I'd have a problem with beta blockers...

Edit: sorry @Landsurfer , didn't mean to hijack your thread 😳

Hi jack away ... both my Cardiac consultant and my GP have said i need to keep exercising .... just no Time Trialing ..(consultant is a cyclist ) .... so i’ll be continuing my 30 mile 12 - 15 mph potters ...

 

[yello]

(consultant is a cyclist )

I would have benefited from someone with that kind of experience & awareness!

A learning process for me. The previous cardiologist treated me without regard to my cycling, which I accept as partly my fault for not making more clear. I mentioned it but not the kind of mileage I was doing. I guess I didn't think it mattered much - a dicky ticker was a dicky ticker to me!

On a related note, footballer Sergio Aguero has just had to retire because of a heart condition. Seems like being healthy might not always be healthy!

 

[ColinJ]

Seems like being healthy might not always be healthy!

I think is more a case of 'fit, but not healthy'!

Beryl Burton was extremely fit but underlying poor health killed her in her 50s...

 

[presta]

I have an atrial fibrillation, treated with flecainide acetate and bisoprolol.
the flecainide does seem to work as a sort of limiter on my heart rate.
I do seem to hit a rate where it refuses to go higher!
tend to potter about at 12 to 15 mph depending on the terrain

Flecainide is a rhythm control drug, the bisoprolol is there to control the rate. Bisoprolol is notorious for making people feel fatigued, which is why my cardiologist put me on Diltiazem instead. It doesn't knacker your ability to exercise like bisoprolol does, but it has its side effects too, as it causes oedema (swollen feet). If your meds are interfering with your exercise it might be worth asking if you can give Diltiazem a try and see how you get on with it.

12-15mph was lighting fast for me, even before I was diagnosed with AF, and even on flat Essex terrain.