Gaming and Blood Pressure/Heart Rate

[randys]

I am 59 yrs old and just had my 2nd heart attack, had a stent put in.

I tested myself sitting comfortably and my bp with medication was 120/78 with pulse of 70

i kept the cuff on, started one of the races on GT6 and started to measure again during race

148/95 with a pulse of 95

this is not good guys...anybody else have these concerns?
or experience with good vs bad with this issue?

 

[Dotini]

Top level (F1) racers often have heart rates momentarily approaching that of a hummingbird, i.e.: ~180-200.

But much of TV racing involves only the stress, excitement and elevated heart rates that YOU put into it. If you can control your emotions, know ahead of time what is going to happen during the race and execute what you need to do to win, then your heart will not beat too fast. I know, because I'm 65 and have been doing this in the realm of kart racing for decades. I have 10 Championships in class. Even so, I'm not a physician, and I advise you to consult with one before you deliberately do something that worries you.

 

[AOS-]

But much of TV racing involves only the stress, excitement and elevated heart rates that YOU put into it.

Or any game you can find a surge of excitement in, but other than that I concur. I play mostly fighting games now and being unable to keep your cool is the first step to losing. It's a practice I try to maintain with just about any game I play.

But getting back on topic, I'm 22 and doing just fine so I don't have any heart conditions. I would keep the playing to a minimal until you can manage to stabilize yourself during a game.

 

[Jubby]

Seriously, you may want to stop playing for the time being and consult your physician. My wife has a mild (read: not a doctor) medical background and she concurred.

 

[turbolefty78]

I am 59 yrs old and just had my 2nd heart attack, had a stent put in.

I tested myself sitting comfortably and my bp with medication was 120/78 with pulse of 70

i kept the cuff on, started one of the races on GT6 and started to measure again during race

148/95 with a pulse of 95

this is not good guys...anybody else have these concerns?
or experience with good vs bad with this issue?

That bp, while above the norm for at rest, is not all that high really. There's people with very bad hypertension that have numbers nearly double that. A friend of mine has been measured at ~250/150. I myself had a heart attack 2 years ago and had a stent put in. My resting bp is under control quite nicely at ~110/70 and hr of 65-70. In games such as this I'm sure it climbs, but I don't really think that's a bad thing. Raising the heart rate through exercise is good for it, so I don't imagine this is much different. Muscles are being exerted and used, you're tensing up while driving, then relaxing in between. Heart rate and bp are bound to climb. It's the staying there all the time that you don't want to see. The other thing is to not overdo it too early on after the stent procedure. My stent had a drug built into it that it gave off slowly to prevent restenosis of the arterial wall(overgrowth of scar tissue too thick too fast) which prevented it from clogging up right away. It's doing fine now, 2 years later. Not sure which type you got, but it needs a bit of time to get comfortable in there, a couple of months I'd say.
You no doubt have been going to physical therapy since the stent op correct? Why not ask one of the tech's there about it? They are trained to answer these types of specific questions relating to heart attacks. There was a guy at my pt classes that was talking about going on a 15k marathon a few months down the road from his stent. The docs ok'd him for it so I would think that playing GT6 is ok too. Best to double check with your professionals first though.

 

[mister dog]

I am 59 yrs old and just had my 2nd heart attack, had a stent put in.

I tested myself sitting comfortably and my bp with medication was 120/78 with pulse of 70

i kept the cuff on, started one of the races on GT6 and started to measure again during race

148/95 with a pulse of 95

this is not good guys...anybody else have these concerns?
or experience with good vs bad with this issue?

Depends on how excited video games can make you. I remember it used to affect my heart rate a lot more when i was a kid than nowadays. Also playing games like resident evil back in the day really got it pumping to the point i had to almost put the controller down...

Slightly off topic; but i would like to ask you if you have a possible cause figured out for your heart attacks? Lack of exercise, family history, bad eating? Just like to know as i fear i might have one in the future also.

 

[kikie]

Even something simple as posting on GTP can raise your bloodpressure and heart rate.

You never know what people answer.

No, I don't have these concerns when playing race games.

 

[Omnis]

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/thre...ium-experience-based-tips-and-recipes.268657/

 

[FoolKiller]

What meds and what dose? I'm on 160mg Sotalol twice a day. I sit at 110/60 at almost all times. My pacemaker/defibrillator keeps me at 70bpm constantly, but allows a window up to 120bpm, based on the built-in accelerometer reading.

My pulse has never broken 80 while playing GT. No more than a brisk walk.

Not that it matters, since I had to get defibrillated while watching TV in a recliner.

 

[Michael88]

Try getting blood pressure spikes of 500/110 for a couple of seconds when bench pressing really heavy weights. Those numbers always makes me feel uneasy when lifting.

 

[Omnis]

Dude, try not to valsalva while lifting.

 

[kikie]

I had to google valsalva.

 

[Shoogar]

When playing PvP online games and things begin to get intense I begin to breathe heavily.. I personally haven't noticed it but friends have whilst talking to them and playing at the same time. Is this normal..?

 

[FoolKiller]

When playing PvP online games and things begin to get intense I begin to breathe heavily.. I personally haven't noticed it but friends have whilst talking to them and playing at the same time. Is this normal..?

You're mouth breathing. All they hear in the mic is, "PLUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHGGGGGPPPHBBBBGGGFFFGHHGGHLLJ, SSSSSHHHHIIIISSSSSHHHHHHH, PLUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHGGGGGPPPHBBBBGGGFFFGHHGGHLLJ."

Put the mic just to the side of your mouth or slightly out and above it.

If they still hear it, then maybe you are getting worked up.

 

[phillgt2002]

When playing PvP online games and things begin to get intense I begin to breathe heavily.. I personally haven't noticed it but friends have whilst talking to them and playing at the same time. Is this normal..?

Yeah, I tend to notice that my heart-rate rises when playing PvP games, especially if I'm the last man standing. It gets to the point where I hear my heart slamming through my ears, it's scary. I think it's normal though, adrenaline goes through the body even if you aren't doing something physical intensive.

 

[mister dog]

I had to google valsalva.

Thanks for that link; i always do that when my ears are stuck after a flight.