Heart rate while walking

Hello.  I had a dual chamber pacemaker placed 4 weeks ago. The rate response feature is on. I have found many of these posts helpful, thank you. While walking this afternoon my heart rate was averaged 70-80. When I walked this evening my rate averaged around 130.  I felt fine in the afternoon and fatigued in the eve. I stopped and rested for a bit.  Just wondering why the difference. Still getting used to all this.

4 Comments

Rate Response

by crustyg - 2021-09-18 03:37:21

Almost all (perhaps all now) modern PMs have at least one accelerometer that detects movement (and gravity) which provides a movement signal to the rate response: movement =>increase HR.

How much movement produces a given increase in HR is controlled by settings within the PM, and can also be affected by the type of movement.  I've not seen anything from any vendor in this specific area, but it's possible for a PM to detect the difference between climbing stairs/walking up steps and just having a gentle evening perambulation - I wish mine did.

I suggest that your two walks differed enough to produce a difference in accelerometer feed into the RR algorithm, and hence different HRs.

Your profile: Surescan isn't a model of PM, it's a generic name used by Medtronic to cover all of their MRI-conditional implantable devices.

It increases but doesn't decrease...

by BOBTHOM - 2021-09-18 18:55:26


I don't know your history or type of issues you have but, generaly speacking, a PM will increase your heart rate and try to keep it consistent however if your heart decides to beat faster on it's own there is nothing that the pacemaker will do to stop it.

Rate & Impact Response

by Ram - 2021-09-18 19:18:40

I'm also a newbie of 4 weeks and suffered the same thing.   If I came down from a stair or curb too hard or walked normal it immediately set my HR in the 100s and made me feel weak & tired. However I discovered walking lightly toe to heel, no impact exercises or swimming was absolutely fine.  So I made an appointment with a Med rep and she explained just like Crustyg said above it is capable of picking up different types movements and deciding which to pace (although not accurately in my opinion).  I don't need my upper number to be paced so I had it turned off which solved my problem and just kept it on for the low number for AV block episodes.

Walking heart rate

by Debbdrew - 2021-09-18 19:58:08

Thanks for your input!

You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

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