Post angioplasty cycling

SLX01
SLX01 Posts: 338
edited September 2011 in Training, fitness and health
Having had a rather unexpected heart attack out cycling in Richmond Park on Monday I ended up having a stent fitted.
I am now as you can imagine after a narrow escape from the grim reaper worried about getting out on the bike again and wonder if anyone has any practical experience they can share.
The doctor has said I should be ok cycling again after 6 weeks and slowly building up to my normal level. But what is slowly and what is safe he didn't really explain much as regards duration or effort involved in the rehab period?

Comments

  • anto164
    anto164 Posts: 3,500
    Just take it easy, your body will tell you when you've had enough.
  • roddixon
    roddixon Posts: 100
    A "heart attack" isnt the same as a heart attack!!, its a spectrum of disease ranging from unstable angina to full blown heart muscle death. Without any other information its difficult to say how easy you should take it, in other words: ask your cardiologist/GP, they do know what they are talking about (mostly...)
  • SLX01
    SLX01 Posts: 338
    roddixon wrote:
    A "heart attack" isnt the same as a heart attack!!, its a spectrum of disease ranging from unstable angina to full blown heart muscle death. Without any other information its difficult to say how easy you should take it, in other words: ask your cardiologist/GP, they do know what they are talking about (mostly...)

    A heart attack is not a disease its an event caused by having something go wrong with the heart. In my case it was a blood clot in a previous stent.
    I have spoken to a cardiologist who just said take it easy and build up my fitness slowly. What I wish to know is what is 'taking it slowly' does this refer to the duration of the training or level? What heart rate zone should I be in for example?
    I'm used to doing over 1000km a month on the bike and 100km a month running both at a fairly high intensity so taking it easy it would probably involve riding 50-60km at 26 km/hr pace several times a week with the odd 5km run thrown in, but I'm sure thats not what he meant.
  • roddixon
    roddixon Posts: 100
    SLX01 wrote:
    A heart attack is not a disease its an event caused by having something go wrong with the heart.

    Okay, leaving the semantics aside (lets just say I'll spare you the lecture :wink: ), what your cardiologist says suggests that he is relatively confident that the new stent has reconstituted the blood flow to the effected area of heart muscle. So, all going well, and assuming that your "heart attack" was either:

    a. A case of "unstable angina" (dont get me started :wink: ) without significant heart muscle loss
    or
    b. A minor heart attack with little muscle damage

    you should be able to relatively quickly build up your pre-event training. Of course, if you do get any smptoms, stop and seek help.

    You have had a clot in a stent already and the biggest risk you have is of re-clotting. You must now be on a combination of blood thinning drugs to prevent this.
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    If I was in your position I would take say 6 months of slowly increasing quality & quantity cycling to get back to where I was before the heart attack. Whether this is ok from your own medical point of view I've no idea. I would also take the opportunity to adress any other lifestyle issues (food, weight, stress etc) that are known to affect heart health - adressing these over the 6 months
    But as I said - just my ideas - not necessarily applicable to you. Hope it goes well however.
  • SLX01
    SLX01 Posts: 338
    ut_och_cykla wrote:
    If I was in your position I would take say 6 months of slowly increasing quality & quantity cycling to get back to where I was before the heart attack. Whether this is ok from your own medical point of view I've no idea. I would also take the opportunity to adress any other lifestyle issues (food, weight, stress etc) that are known to affect heart health - adressing these over the 6 months
    But as I said - just my ideas - not necessarily applicable to you. Hope it goes well however.

    I have no issues regarding my health I am in good health apart from the heart disease and already manage my lifestyle. I think you are right I will just build up my fitness over the winter and see how it goes. I have found a contact at my local NHS trust that does cardio rehab and have contacted them regarding devising a safe training programe.

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