...just got back from cardiologist...

[Max32]

Main issue after undergoing stress test and EKG was left wall thickness in comparison to last time.... he wasn't freaked out by it, but did think using something stronger on blood pressure and something that would reverse this trend even while using AAS was in order...switched me from generic lisinopril to Micardis...all in all, he said for my size and history, good visit, and to come back in 2-3 yrs...knowing my hypochondriac ass, probably a yr

On another note, just hit another personal best on safety squat last night of 615 for 8 below parallel reps...I'll attach video when my buddy posts on youtube.... Hope everyone is well...

 

[Max32]

...I take that back, the other issue was a high pulse....anywhere from 85-100, again he thinks the micardis would help with most of my issues...

 

[alecaf]

Main issue after undergoing stress test and EKG was left wall thickness in comparison to last time.... he wasn't freaked out by it, but did think using something stronger on blood pressure and something that would reverse this trend even while using AAS was in order...switched me from generic lisinopril to Micardis...all in all, he said for my size and history, good visit, and to come back in 2-3 yrs...knowing my hypochondriac ass, probably a yr

On another note, just hit another personal best on safety squat last night of 615 for 8 below parallel reps...I'll attach video when my buddy posts on youtube.... Hope everyone is well...

thats good news man. Is this a genetic issue?

 

[Max32]

thats good news man. Is this a genetic issue?

Have heart issues on father's side and the sport we all love to compete in does not lend itself as a positive contributing factor to put it mildly, lol, again , my big fear now is what is leading ot the elevated resting heart rate?

 

[maldorf]

Main issue after undergoing stress test and EKG was left wall thickness in comparison to last time.... he wasn't freaked out by it, but did think using something stronger on blood pressure and something that would reverse this trend even while using AAS was in order...switched me from generic lisinopril to Micardis...all in all, he said for my size and history, good visit, and to come back in 2-3 yrs...knowing my hypochondriac ass, probably a yr

On another note, just hit another personal best on safety squat last night of 615 for 8 below parallel reps...I'll attach video when my buddy posts on youtube.... Hope everyone is well...

Naw, youre not a hypochondriac. If you really wanted to be thurough you would have also had an untrasound of your heart. Was the stress test a nuclear one, where they inject you with nuclear active tracers and then have you exercise? If it was a nuclear test then that would be awesome. That will give you an ejection fraction.
Those regular stress tests all they do is take an ekg while you exercise. IMO its best to get the ejection fraction of your heart and thats most easily and cheaply done with an ultrasound. IF you want to be sure, might look into this if your stress test was not nuclear.

 

[Max32]

Naw, youre not a hypochondriac. If you really wanted to be thurough you would have also had an untrasound of your heart. Was the stress test a nuclear one, where they inject you with nuclear active tracers and then have you exercise? If it was a nuclear test then that would be awesome. That will give you an ejection fraction.
Those regular stress tests all they do is take an ekg while you exercise. IMO its best to get the ejection fraction of your heart and thats most easily and cheaply done with an ultrasound. IF you want to be sure, might look into this if your stress test was not nuclear.

They did an ultrasound, but not a nuclear stress test...just a regular one...

 

[maldorf]

Have heart issues on father's side and the sport we all love to compete in does not lend itself as a positive contributing factor to put it mildly, lol, again , my big fear now is what is leading ot the elevated resting heart rate?

the elevated heart rate can come from having an udiagnosed cardiomyopathy. This comes from the fact that your ejection fraction is too low, and hence your heart has to compensate for the low output by pumping faster. Cardic output = heart rate x stroke volume. In the case of cardiomyopathy, your stroke volume is down so the heart has to beat faster to make up for it. Anyone that has cardiomyopathy on here can attest to this. There are several of us that went through this.
Not trying to scare you or make more of it than should, but I would insist on having at least an ultrasound if you didnt have a nuclear stress test that measured your ejection fraction.

 

[maldorf]

They did an ultrasound, but not a nuclear stress test...just a regular one...

YOu can have a cardiomyopathy and it wont show up on an ekg or stress ekg. The only way to pick up on it would be to do either an ultrasound or a nuclear stress test. The ultasound is cheaper and faster.

 

[Max32]

YOu can have a cardiomyopathy and it wont show up on an ekg or stress ekg. The only way to pick up on it would be to do either an ultrasound or a nuclear stress test. The ultasound is cheaper and faster.

The guy reading the ultrasound said everything looked good from what he could see....?? I will call the doc on Monday to ask about the cardiomyopathy....thanks big dog

 

[nemo]

The cardiomyopathies and ejection fraction maldorf are referring to would be found with an echo (ie heart ultrasound), which it sounds like you already had. The likelihood of an elevated resting heart rate being caused by a cardiomyopathy in someone with a normal echo and ekg is quite small. There are many other more likely causes. Cardiology is a large and involved field that takes many years to master, so I wouldn't suggest looking for advice on these issues from lay people. If you don't trust your cardiologist find yourself a new one.

 

[Max32]

The cardiomyopathies and ejection fraction maldorf are referring to would be found with an echo (ie heart ultrasound), which it sounds like you already had. The likelihood of an elevated resting heart rate being caused by a cardiomyopathy in someone with a normal echo and ekg is quite small. There are many other more likely causes. Cardiology is a large and involved field that takes many years to master, so I wouldn't suggest looking for advice on these issues from lay people. If you don't trust your cardiologist find yourself a new one.

sound advice, I know the doc deals with a lot of athletes/bbuilders, so I don't want him to lump me into the broad category of "I don't care what risks are taken for me to look like this" like a lot of guys out there...he was quite taken by my proactive approach which doesn't say much for the majority at least in my area, and that is sad...

 

[Jmuls]

Maldorf covered just about everything I would have, so there's not to much for me to add.

I would definitely recommend having an Echo done, as this will not only give you your EF, but will provide other pertinent info on wall motion, valve function, etc. Not to mention, if you don't need the exposure to the nuclear tracer, you're better off. Not that it's a tremendous amount of exposure, it's just that if you don't need it, don't have it!

Now I'm not sure if the angiotensin II receptor antagonists, such as Micardis, have a similar effect on the myocardium as the ACE inhibitors like Lisinopril you were taking. ACE Inhibitors have been shown to help stop cardiac remodeling, such as further progression of LVH. Hopefully the Micardis has a similar benefit.

 

[maldorf]

Maldorf covered just about everything I would have, so there's not to much for me to add.

I would definitely recommend having an Echo done, as this will not only give you your EF, but will provide other pertinent info on wall motion, valve function, etc. Not to mention, if you don't need the exposure to the nuclear tracer, you're better off. Not that it's a tremendous amount of exposure, it's just that if you don't need it, don't have it!

Now I'm not sure if the angiotensin II receptor antagonists, such as Micardis, have a similar effect on the myocardium as the ACE inhibitors like Lisinopril you were taking. ACE Inhibitors have been shown to help stop cardiac remodeling, such as further progression of LVH. Hopefully the Micardis has a similar benefit.

great advice here. I didnt go into the wall motion or valve function, but thats whats so important about the unltrasound. It will how if your heart walls are hypokinetic(not moving as much as they should). When this happens, your heart walls become stiff and dont contract or squeeze like they should and thus dont push out the blood like a normal heart.

 

[maldorf]

The guy reading the ultrasound said everything looked good from what he could see....?? I will call the doc on Monday to ask about the cardiomyopathy....thanks big dog

From your original post, you said you had an ekg and a stress test. Nowhere did you mention an ultrasound. In an ultasound the tech would have you lie down on a table and pass a scanner over your chest. It takes about 15-20 min or so. You just lie there quietly as they scan the different planes of your heart. Did you have one of these? It sounds like from this post that you did, as you said "the guy reading the ultrasound said everything looked good".
If you had an ultrasound and nothing was brought to your attention, then you are as good as gold. I would think they might have told you your ejection fraction though.

 

[nickyfregs]

sounds like you're a hypochondriac to me dude. Or maybe you have a situation ;-)

 

[Max32]

From your original post, you said you had an ekg and a stress test. Nowhere did you mention an ultrasound. In an ultasound the tech would have you lie down on a table and pass a scanner over your chest. It takes about 15-20 min or so. You just lie there quietly as they scan the different planes of your heart. Did you have one of these? It sounds like from this post that you did, as you said "the guy reading the ultrasound said everything looked good".
If you had an ultrasound and nothing was brought to your attention, then you are as good as gold. I would think they might have told you your ejection fraction though.

Definitely had the ultrasound then, I am going to find out the EF...right now, my biggest concern is still the high pulse though of around 100??

 

[Max32]

sounds like you're a hypochondriac to me dude. Or maybe you have a situation ;-)

Following me to promuscle...I'll give you a situation jackass This and that there...LMAO

 

[maldorf]

Definitely had the ultrasound then, I am going to find out the EF...right now, my biggest concern is still the high pulse though of around 100??

Well, when you mentioned wall thickness it made me think you had an ultrasound. Since you had one and they didnt alarm you to anything, I would think all is fine. As far as the heart rate, I dont understand why the doc isnt looking more into that. Let us know what the EF is, Im curious. It should be 55-60s something. EF is a percentage of the total volume of your left ventricle that gets pushed out each time your heart beats. They measure the volume of the left ventricle both before and after contraction and get the number from that.

My ef after my heart attack was 28% the last time it was measure, and thats when im pumped full of beta blockers which raise it.

 

[Massive G]

Max what type of supplements are you taking that could affect HR?
O3's can reduce HR....FYI.

 

[Massive G]

Heart Health should be the primary concern of lifters just due to the tremendous strain we put on the Cv system.
So Max I'd continue to follow up yearly or twice a year.
I have had a nuclear stress test done ans well as a couple ultrasounds, showing left ventricular hypertrophy-very common in aged heavy lifters.
I would like to get a heart CT scan done but it dumps a TON of radiation in the body...so blood work Ultras and EKG and Stress tests will have to do for now.