Holter reports average heartrate 60, total beats 84354

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hello, sorry this is a long ramble.  I went to the doctor because of low body temperature which is always around 35.4 in the mornings and 36.0 in the late afternoons, and slow resting heartrate, which is 44 to 55.  I figured all this was due to my Hashimotos hypothyroidism.   I have had occasional events of near-fainting sensation (always while sitting still and relaxed).  This has been when my resting HR has been in the 40s. My blood pressure is in the low range of normal, except when I get really stressed, then it shoots up. I have had this problem for a few years now, along with fatigue and fibromyalgia. I am otherwise healthy, take no meds except thyroxine and paracetamol, not overweight, no alcohol and eat well.

Because my thyroid function tests are all normal, doc said it isnt my thyroid, and dismissed my report of low body temp completely.  But he referred me for a 24hr holter monitor.  I seem to have a default setting of 60 bpm for normal activity, ie walking around, pottering about the house etc.  The Holter result  says  that my average HR over 24hrs was 60, max 109 (during very strenuous exercise) and low of 40 (while asleep). Standing alone, all those numbers look fairly normal, from what I can find out on the net.  But would the monitor show how often my HR is well below 60, as I know it often is, but I don't think the doctors believe me!  In the doctors rooms if they take my pulse, it is always around 70, as I am so wound up and stressed.  I am not an athlete, I am 63yrs old and not fit but  I take a moderately paced walk every day, 20 to 30 minutes and try to be as active as I can generally.  For the benefit of the monitor, on that day I took a very fast 20 minute walk (just short of a jog!), which is when the 109 bpm was recorded.  Normally I would not ever have a HR of 109. 

It's all a bit weird, because before this slow stuff all started, about 5 years ago, I used to have a fast/normal HR, and as I have generalised anxiety disorder, I am used to worrying about a fast HR, not a slow one!  About 10 years ago I used to get supraventricular tachycardia sometimes. It went away and never came back. I now get occasional palps, that come in bouts. The holter identified them as PACs including some couplets.  The day of the recording I only had a couple, but some days I have dozens.  I put them down to anxiety, and I try not to eat or do anything that sets them off, as they scare me, even though I know they are (apparantly) OK.

So I guess my question is, is 84354 beats in 24hrs a bit 'slow' or 'normal'?  Is bradycardia when you have under 60 bpm all the time or just some of the time? Do they diagnose brady on the calculated average HR over 24hrs, or on noted HRs under 60bmp ?   I have not had a followup with the hospital doctor yet and have not seen the final report, just what the technician told me when she took the monitor off and checked it.  She said there was a lot of artifact on the recording but I have not been asked to repeat the test.

Thanks for reading smile

 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    HI, l shouldnt worry to much  about the small  amount of ups and downs your heart rate is doing , my heart rate drops to below 30 and my normal heart rate is around 50 bpm much less than yours by a long way , l go  Tachycardic  when l have episodes of POTS a rare condition.

    l  also l go  hyperthermic at 27 degrees.....and thats cold.

    Your body temperature changes up and down all day according to weather, food, drink etc ....unless its bottoming out like mine l wouldnt get stressed over one degree, its not a lot to bother about and your doctor will confirm this .

    Unless your grey, cold sweating, shivering , teeth chattering and cant stop shaking .....like the attacks l get ...just ignore it .  

    • Posted

      Thanks lady ami. I did feel a bit embarassed about posting minor issues in a place where people have very real and serious conditions, butI its just that this is all fairly new, and therefore I have noticed it.  I do find the lower temps make me chilled and tired, and also when my heartrate is low I feel exhausted and have nearly fainted a few times. So I figure that something is not quite right, and considering my age and the fact that cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer in the country where I live, I thought it sensible to get things checked out.
  • Posted

    Hello i have mine hotler ecg done 8 months ago i am in japan the doc didnot give me the result bcoz here they will keep it with there self..but the doc discuss with me though i didnot understand the language to much he say to me that the result is 98.75%..and its a good result the doc tell me that there is no thing wrong with my heart no sinus pause no major problem though some time i have slow heart rate but its not me he say me that i am not alone mostly people have the problem some time slow and some time fast heart beat...before holter ecg he do an ecg for me which was normal then he say me climb on stairs for 3 mins when i do so then they do another ecg for me which show i have pause then they monitor my heart and say may be there is some problem in that ecg its fake i think bcoz i have a strong heart as they see in echo gram.......well i have acid reflux and while they r doing for me ecg while in ecg i am burping after that i do 3 ecgs normal now after few months i request that i wanna go to big hospital for further tests because my chest is heavy i am 31 now
  • Posted

    If i was not wrong my heart beats is 96000+ i canot remember it but its well enough close to one lakh 
    • Posted

      Hi unlucky, I wonder if 98.75% is your heart efficiency?  That sounds pretty good. I hope you get thisall sorted out  and you get those extra tests to reassure you. You can have a "heavy chest" feeling with acid reflux and with anxiety, you know.  I believe you have very good doctors in Japan, but thewy should explain things so you can understand properly. Thanks for your reply smile

    • Posted

      Yup here the docs are good they will talk to u in details and make u satisfied in my country if u go to doc they dont have time bcoz alot of patients... i remember i say to my cardiologist that why its 98.75 not 100%..he smile and he say to me its not u only mostly every person have like this but i insist to do more tests..i insist for echo so he refer me for echo now few days back i go there and say if i have burps i feel heavy in my chest he say its because of stress and anxiety i am convince but for making it more sure i say to him do an mri or ct scan of my heart but he say my clinic is small for ur satisfaction i will refer u to big hospital then i say plz bcoz i wanna make it more sure that is it related to my heart or all of these symptoms cause by acid reflux. Here docs are good
    • Posted

      You will feel a lot better once you have had the all clear for your heart smile  

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