What Is The Cause For Higher Heart Rate During Exercise While On Amolodipine?

Posted on Wed, 8 Jan 2014

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

Wed, 8 Jan 2014 Answered on

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Taking amolodipine and when exercising at a harder effort 150 bpm and up can feel my pulse the sensation goes away when going back to lower efforts of 130 bpm

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (5 hours later)

Brief Answer: May reflect normal ventricular response Detailed Answer: Dear Sir, Thanks for your query. As you exercise to higher heart rates, you reach closer and closer to your predicted maximum capacity, which is a function of age; it is calculated as 220- age, so for you 167 is your 100% predicted maximum heart rate; at that time your heart should really be pounding and you can easily feel your pulse. I presume that is what is going on. So when you are doing 150 bpm, you are above 85% of your predicted, which is what we call aerobic exercise to condition the heart; at 65% of your calculated heart rate, you are mostly burning fat, which is also desirable. Hope this helps wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN Cardiology

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

Follow up: Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (2 hours later)

So feeling your heart pounding at the up upper range is typical. I hear it on the stationery bike when there is little back round noise.

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (46 hours later)

Brief Answer: Indeed Detailed Answer: Yes, some people are more sensitive to others and can feel their heart more; a very good exampls is with premature beats, the beat after the skipped beat is more forceful, but most of us dont feel it. I see many patients that indeed feel them, we have them on a monitor for 48 hours and only those beats show up. Unless you have concerning symptoms as severe chest pain or shortness of breath i would not worry too much. Best regards

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