Cardiac Risks with HIIT

[hurryinhoosier]

Just curious how much doing something like this increases risks for cardiac event.

I am in my 30s and run a lot. I use HR monitor and traditionally train aerobically. I recently decided to start implementing speed work. I have seen my HR get to 188 on hill repeats which is higher than I expected but also wondered if this is risky.

I would think this is very taxing on the heart especially 2-3 x week.

Thoughts and/or experiences?

 

[Aiming4165]

Question


What exactly are adverse cardiac events?

 

[matt182]

thats no problem in your 30s, your heart rate seam fine too.

If you were really worried for any reason you could always have an ECG stress test to see what your hearts actually doing.

 

[dswithers]

I would think this is very taxing on the heart especially 2-3 x week.

20 minutes of HIIT is easier on your heart than 60 minutes of steady state cardio. Unless you are a sedentary person who suddenly gets up one day and decides to do HIIT beyond your capabilities, your chances of a heart attack or stroke are pretty small if you do HIIT properly.

 

[flyinfree]

last night I ran an hour to the gym with multiple HIIT efforts, and then I ran an hour home with multipl HIIT efforts. Sometimes it feels like my heart is going to jump out of my chest or break the bones in my chest...

an often prayer of mine-- OH GOD let this heart just stop, so we don't have to do this anymore---hahahahahahahaa

one day it just might!

SO- seize the day!!!! and the only way to seize the day is to be in optimal condition!!

WE ARE ALL CURSED!!!!!

and without sweets no less./

FF'in

 

[hurryinhoosier]

20 minutes of HIIT is easier on your heart than 60 minutes of steady state cardio. Unless you are a sedentary person who suddenly gets up one day and decides to do HIIT beyond your capabilities, your chances of a heart attack or stroke are pretty small if you do HIIT properly.

What makes you believe this? I have trouble believing that running at HR of 60% Max for 1-3 hours is riskier than running at HR of 95-100% Max.

regardless - I have been running for a few years but with little HIIT or other interval training. Mainly aerobic base. I plan to use more interval training and will throw in some HIIT as well.

 

[Wrangell]

20 minutes of HIIT is easier on your heart than 60 minutes of steady state cardio. Unless you are a sedentary person who suddenly gets up one day and decides to do HIIT beyond your capabilities, your chances of a heart attack or stroke are pretty small if you do HIIT properly.

How so ?

I've done both - and HIIT is much more demanding on my cardiovascular system IMO.

 

[sig]

I think the point of HIIT is that it is SUPPOSED to be more demanding on your system. That's why it helps you grow and improve.

As for whether 20 minutes of HIIT is "easier" than 60 minutes of steady state, I think that depends on who you are and what stresses your body has adapted to.

Having done both, I agree with Wrangell that the HIIT is more demanding on the system.

However, depending on the actual activity, I ALSO would find HIIT "easier." If I'm skating or blading, then 20 mins of HIIT is a lot "harder" than 60 minutes of steady state cardio, but that's because I could skate or blade steady state in my sleep (and it doesn't do much for my overall HR). But if I'm running, I find 20 mins of HIIT "easier," because I'm not a runner, and I'd rather kill myself on and off for 20 mins than endure 60 mins of even lower HR running. Hehe.

To get back to the initial question posed, I think the key is that no one should undertake ANY cardio training activity without having recently seen a doctor & being pronounced in good health and able to start. For someone who has that clearance and running experience, from what I understand, HIIT only acts to IMPROVE your heart health, rather than posing a greater risk of cardiac event.

 

[g8r80]

I am a cardiac patient (catheterization, angioplasty and stent implant 11/07) and I do use HIIT. In my case, HIIT (running stairs) caused the underlying problem, a 99% occluded coronary artery, to express itself in the form of angina (i.e., chest pain). I had an EKG done a few months earlier and immediately after the angina started and both were negative. Only a nuclear stress test performed by a cardiologist caught the problem, but it would have been caught during the angiogram as well.

So, speaking from my experience, a person in good cardiovascular health is okay to do HIIT. A person with an underlying problem while doing HIIT may develop symptoms (as in my case) or may proceed directly to a Myocardial Infarction (heart attack).

I don't think a cardiologist would do a nuclear stress test or an angiogram unless there was some symptoms. Maybe a family history would be enough to warrant these, I don't know.

I did not develop angina from less intense exercise, so, personally, I am grateful to HIIT for telling me of my underlying problem without killing me.

 

[Streamline]

What a stupid thread. At least no one voted for yes.

 

[hurryinhoosier]

What a stupid thread. At least no one voted for yes.

Your signature speaks for itself.

 

[Streamline]

It sure does son. I'm not sure what you mean though...If we're gonna throw off insults that don't make any sense then my comeback is - your nickname speaks for itself...How bout it

 

[benny2k7]

Actually, I voted yes.

I'm 23 y/o, 5'10", 195lbs. I am sometimes worried about a "cardiac event." I consider myself of above average health. I do some version of HIIT on an elliptical machine. I go for 25-30 min, going hard for 1 minute or until my HR raises to 180-185, then I back down on both resistance (by as many as 6 clicks) and pedaling speed until my HR goes down to about 160-170.

Once I was not paying attention to my HR and it raised to 195. Is this healthy? I don't really know, and was fairly concerned to see a HR above 190. Yesterday I did this routine for 25 minutes, and felt a significant pain in my chest about halfway through, and at each peak after. I scaled down my peaks so my HR was only hitting 175-180, and I was still feeling pain at minute 20. Next time that happens I will stop entirely.

I think about two things as I write this:
1) HR monitors on machines are not always very accurate, or so I hear.
2) I'm not a regular smoker, but I smoked 5 cigarettes in the past week.

In any case, I am somewhat concerned about a "cardiac event", even as a healthy person at age 23. This thread is not stupid, it's exactly what I was looking for.

 

[acenmbr1]

I voted yest also.

Now that I am 37, I have had quite a few injuries and I'm (what I consider) out of shape, I worry about my heart. Not generally during normal exercise, but when I do HIIT. From what I have read and been told, if you are doing HIIT correctly, you SHOULD feel like you are pushing yourself to the limit on every sprint.

 

[Wrangell]

Actually, I voted yes.

I'm 23 y/o, 5'10", 195lbs. I am sometimes worried about a "cardiac event." I consider myself of above average health. I do some version of HIIT on an elliptical machine. I go for 25-30 min, going hard for 1 minute or until my HR raises to 180-185, then I back down on both resistance (by as many as 6 clicks) and pedaling speed until my HR goes down to about 160-170.

Once I was not paying attention to my HR and it raised to 195. Is this healthy? I don't really know, and was fairly concerned to see a HR above 190. Yesterday I did this routine for 25 minutes, and felt a significant pain in my chest about halfway through, and at each peak after.

' Exercise induced ' chest pains - at only 23 ????

I assume you're going to see your doctor about this recurring ' exercise induced ' " pain in my chest " ?

I scaled down my peaks so my HR was only hitting 175-180, and I was still feeling pain at minute 20. Next time that happens I will stop entirely..

Why don't you stop all cardio entirely until you've a chance to see your doctor ?

I think about two things as I write this:
1) HR monitors on machines are not always very accurate, or so I hear.

I'd pay much more attention to what your body is telling you - i.e. chest pains.

2) I'm not a regular smoker, but I smoked 5 cigarettes in the past week.

O.K...I'll bite.

Why ?

In any case, I am somewhat concerned about a "cardiac event", even as a healthy person at age 23. This thread is not stupid, it's exactly what I was looking for.

Lets us know what your doctor says.

 

[jenn]

Ok I am going to bit too! I think that so many people have no idea what a cardiac event is or what the signs are. So many other things can sause pain in the chest area that are totally unrelated to any cardiac event. For example certain gi problems can give one chest pain but the pain is very different from cardiac ischemic chest pain. Certain lung issues can cause chest pain as well.

Signs and symptoms of angina and MI are different for each person as well. One thing that would be helpful is to discribe the pain - where is it located, the quality ( how it feels ie. sharp, dull, ripping, crushing, burning etc.) the duration (how long does it last, does it go away at rest and if so how long does it take) what is the heart rate ( check it yourself that is the best way) what brought on the pain and what makes it feel better, additional symptoms such as - does it radiate, are you pale or flushed, sweaty or dry, dizziness or bluured vision, nausea or vomiting involved, is the heart rate regular or erratic, is the pulse strong or weak, difficulty breathing- if yes was it before or after the chest pain? Are you on any medications regularly, do you have a history of illness (like high blood pressure), have you been hospitalized in the last 6 months and if so for what? Did you eat prior to the event if so how long before and what? Start there and it makes it way easier to move in the right direction to figure out the problem.

 

[Wrangell]

Ok I am going to bit too! I think that so many people have no idea what a cardiac event is or what the signs are.

It just might be the reason " so many people have no idea what a cardiac event is or what the signs are " is because they aren't doctors !!

So many other things can sause pain in the chest area that are totally unrelated to any cardiac event. For example certain gi problems can give one chest pain but the pain is very different from cardiac ischemic chest pain. Certain lung issues can cause chest pain as well.

Signs and symptoms of angina and MI are different for each person as well. One thing that would be helpful is to discribe the pain - where is it located, the quality ( how it feels ie. sharp, dull, ripping, crushing, burning etc.) the duration (how long does it last, does it go away at rest and if so how long does it take) what is the heart rate ( check it yourself that is the best way) what brought on the pain and what makes it feel better, additional symptoms such as - does it radiate, are you pale or flushed, sweaty or dry, dizziness or bluured vision, nausea or vomiting involved, is the heart rate regular or erratic, is the pulse strong or weak, difficulty breathing- if yes was it before or after the chest pain? Are you on any medications regularly, do you have a history of illness (like high blood pressure), have you been hospitalized in the last 6 months and if so for what? Did you eat prior to the event if so how long before and what?

Start there and it makes it way easier to move in the right direction to figure out the problem.

When it comes to exercise and chest pain - or any chest pain for that matter - the ' right direction " is to have a doctor ' figure out the problem ' IMO.

The very last thing anyone should do is to try and ' self -diagnose ' chest pain on the basis of post replies in a forum thread.

 

[jenn]

This is stuff that gets taught in school. I also take it a step further and go teach in schools so that kids can recognize medical emergences that may happen around them. It is standard where I live. And btw I'm not a doctor either .

The reason I ask the questions (as I am trained to do) is that these are things that are very important to tell your doctor when they are working out what is going on medicaly. The questions are very relevant to some of the comments made. Can you explain how that is self diagnosis? I not once said to self diagnos that would require equipment and skills only a cardiac physican would have. However in the event of a cardiac emergency the last thing you want to be doing is moving and that includes taking yourself to the ER.

I posted to help give an understanding that many things can cause chest pain and not all are heart related. If you want to be rude about it you can bet your ass I won't be posting anything here in the future.

 

[g8r80]

It just might be the reason " so many people have no idea what a cardiac event is or what the signs are " is because they aren't doctors !!



When it comes to exercise and chest pain - or any chest pain for that matter - the ' right direction " is to have a doctor ' figure out the problem ' IMO.

The very last thing anyone should do is to try and ' self -diagnose ' chest pain on the basis of post replies in a forum thread.

Right on, bro! When I had my first and only angina symptoms, I was exercising out of town. I immediately stopped exercising and considered calling 911, but the pain subsided after I stopped exercising, but resumed with any exertion. My general practitioner did not catch it as an occluded artery even after doing an EKG. Shereferred me to a cardiologist who caught it immediately.

 

[Wrangell]

This is stuff that gets taught in school. I also take it a step further and go teach in schools so that kids can recognize medical emergences that may happen around them. It is standard where I live. And btw I'm not a doctor either .

Trust me.

Nothing in your post made me even ' remotely ' think you're a doctor.

The reason I ask the questions (as I am trained to do) is that these are things that are very important to tell your doctor when they are working out what is going on medicaly.

It's very simple.

He had recurring chest pains while exercising........he needn't be concerned what he has to tell his doctor.........a good doctor will know exactly what questions to ask in forming a diagnosis.

The questions are very relevant to some of the comments made. Can you explain how that is self diagnosis? I not once said to self diagnos that would require equipment and skills only a cardiac physican would have. However in the event of a cardiac emergency the last thing you want to be doing is moving and that includes taking yourself to the ER.

It's simple. Here's how chest pain is ' relevant ' IMO.

In 100% of the cases.......

Exercise + recurring chest pain = stop exercising & get to a doctor to check it out ......asap.
​

So, providing a laundry list of possible causes of chest pain during exercise is irrelevant IMO as this person needs to see a doctor for follow-up - regardless of what he thinks may or may not be the cause.

He can't diagnose the cause of the chest pain - only a doctor can do that.

I posted to help give an understanding that many things can cause chest pain and not all are heart related.

If you tell someone " many things can cause chest pain and not all are heart related " they may or not take the pain seriously - at least in my view.

As I said before, if someone experiences recurring chest pains while exercising they should seek medical attention ....asap...... IMO.

If you want to be rude about it you can bet your ass I won't be posting anything here in the future.

Suit yourself.