Setting Max Heart Rate; Is MRI-Safe Device Capped at 150 bpm?

Last November I passed out twice in a day, was diagnosed as having had arythmias, and was given a pacemaker. I'm 50, had run in high school and college, have continued running, and still often ran several times per week. For a variety of reasons, I hadn't been able to run or do other aerobic exercise, but had recently been trying to get back in to shape. But just trying to warm up at 11:00 mile pace--a few years ago I was doing basic distance runs around 7:30-8:00 mile pace--would leave me gassed a few minutes in to the run, and I'd have to stop. 

I went to see my electrocardiologist last week to ask him what the upper setting was, and to have it raised if, as I suspected, it was at 150 or lower. Since November I'd gone from almost never pacing to continual pacing, so as a precaution he scheduled a stress test & MRI, and we left it at that for now. But I checked out the Medtronic site for the technical manual, and if I'm reading it correctly, my model--RVDR01--is safe for MRI's but has a maximum setting of 150 bpm. Is it possible that my device will not go above 150? If so, any suggestions of what I can do? I specifically told the doctor before the procedure I wanted to be able to run, and he assured me I'd be able to. But how can I run if my heart rate can't go over 150? 

If this device doesn't allow my heart to go above 150, can anyone speculate on whether I might be able to get a different device and whether that would be covered by insurance? 

2 Comments

Capped at 150 bpm

by Ljathatsright - 2016-08-23 22:58:28

I feel your pain. I got my pacer in 2012 and  at that time it was the only pacer on the market that was MRI compatible. It has a maximum BPM of 150. I did not find this out until weeks after the surgery. I was having trouble running and doing cardio and went back in for tests and that's when my  cardiologist found out from the manufacturer that the pacer had an upper limit of only 150. At that time I was 43 years old and very active. It has been really hard to do cardio and run since 2012. Once my  cardiologist discover that it only had an upper limit of 150 we discussed putting in a different pacer but I didn't want to go through another surgery at that time. I can't wait to get a new one that has a higher upper limit.  This has been very hard because I was expecting to get back to my regular routine after the pacer was implanted.  I now regret not getting a different one put in earlier.  I was in total shock to find out I had to have a pacer in the first place so I don't think I was in the right emotional state to think about having a second one implanted right after the first. 

Are the New Models Still Capped at 150 BPM

by syoung00 - 2018-08-10 13:15:40

I also have an RVDR01 MRI safe that was implanted in 2011 and has this maximum setting of 150 bpm.  I am now close to ERI/End of Life so ready for a new one. Does anyone know if the new models can now be set above 150 BPM?  

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