The Value of Exercise

[delanp]

This is not a question...just an ALERT to people out there.

About 8 years ago at 57, I had 3 drug eluting stents planted in me. No restinosis..no problems whatsoever. I decided to start and exercise more routinely..3 times a week, 45 mins, getting the heart rate up to ~ 160. EACH YEAR I was fortunate enough to get a thallium stress test, full blood panel and an echo cardigram. For 8 years I PASSED every single test...every one. Fast forward to the gym about 3 mnths ago. When my heart rate was ~ 155 I felt different...no pain, not out of breath...just different.  Sort of when you drive your car for years and then one day you notice a 'difference'. Went to the Dr and my EKG had changed, 3 days later an angioram showed my two main laterals were 100% blocked.  1 week later a minimally invasive by-pass..in on Thursday and out Sunday, back to work in 10 days.  I asked the Dr why I had virtually no symtoms..he said becuase I'd been exercising so often, other pathways for the blood had developed over the years.  Had I not exercised ...who knows )-:

The moral of this story..I passed EVERY SINGLE TEST the Drs gave me. i always took my meds. I never felt out of breath. There was no pain. Yet BOTH main arteries were 100% blocked. EXERCISE..EXERCISE...EXERCISE

[Occupant]

I've seen the following about collateralization:
".....specifically, myocardial spasm and hypoxia secondary to myocardial infarction or acutely stressful exercise"
might leed to that and the third item on that list probably has a lot to do with your callaterals opening, but they spefically don't say, just any exercise will do.
Well, I certainly hope that you will overcome this physically and , I think that is very important, mentally

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

Wow Ed glad your still with us and prayers you  get better

[ed34]

There seems to be a kind of agreement among some Doctors that exercise levels has an association with collateral vessel development, but research seems to suggest that isn't the case. The simple fact seems to be that collaterals open with some patients, but not with others and it seems more related to pressure differentials across the coronary arteries. If pressure greatly reduces in one, and pressure is adequately higher in others, then collaterals are likely to happen. My question is whether people on blood pressure medications would be much less likely to develop these. They exist from birth, but it takes a certain amount of pressure difference at either end of these vessels to decide if they open or not. If blood pressure meds prevent the higher pressure side being adequate, then I can't see how they will open.
I had a heart attack on Wednesday this week, and after 20 minutes the pain stopped due to collaterals opening. My blood pressure was naturally quite high, because I had not been taking my medications. Now, if I had taken them, I am wondering if the collaterals would have opened to save my life. This is a question I will be asking my Cardiologist when I see him in a couple of weeks time.

[skydnsr]

Thanks for the post.

[Jerry_NJ]

Sounds like you're doing well, still, great.

I quit smoking at about age 45 and started an exercise program that including working my up to running 3 miles with a heart rate in the 150 to 160 range. This went on for about 20 years and except for a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation at about age 58 (responded to treatment drugs and electrocordioversions) I kept telling myself "I'm not getting older, I'm getter better"...here the better meant physically, running or riding a bike, or hiking.. just physically stornger than when I was younger.  Thus exercise extended my feeling young, even younger, and was a big bonus.  

At age 67 my mitral valve was bad enough to require surgery, and I can say open heart surgery (except for being frighten before) was a "walk in the park".. and I think that was because I had a strong body, including cardiovascular.  

Now at age 74 I am in permanent AFib, but respond well to "rate control" and "clot mitigation" = reasonable heart rate and no strokes.  But, I can't run any longer and in fact can't hike up much of a hill, but still doing reasonably well for my age.

In spite of a tendency to high cholesterol, which is well controlled with statin drugs, I have had no problems with blockage.  I've had a couple angiograms and many nuclear stress tests.

I am sure if I had not quit smoking and started exercising almost 30 years ago I would be long dead by now.