What Do Lightheadedness And Breathlessness During Small Sprints Indicate?

Posted on Sat, 17 Mar 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 17 Mar 2018 Answered on

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 Last reviewed on

Question : feeling light headed and a little out of breath when running sprints in the back yard with my dog. i'm 54 years old who exercise daily and competes endurance races. I had a stroke in 2011 due to a PFO in the heart. The hole was repaired in 2012. I do have bradycardia, with a resting heart rate in the 40's and 50's. Any needs of concern of my light headness? Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer:

I would recommend as follows:

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Your symptoms could be related to low blood pressure values or dehydration.

Have you measured your blood pressure values during these episodes? What are the values?

Considering your past medical history, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician for a physical exam and some tests:

- a resting ECG
- complete blood count for anemia
- blood electrolytes for electrolyte imbalance
- a Doppler ultrasound of the carotid arteries to examine the blood flow to the brain.

Meanwhile, I would recommend having some rest and avoiding straining physical activity. It is also necessary to take plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Hope I have answered your query.

Take care

Regards,
Dr Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar