"High Heart Rate After Valve Surgery?" Asks Pete

I just received a great question from Pete about elevated heart rates following heart valve surgery.

Pete writes, “Hi Adam, I had aortic valve replacement on April 8, 2009, about two months ago. My main concern is that my heart rate is running quite high at 80 to 90 beats per minute. Before surgery, my heart rate was around 60. I contacted my cardiologist about this three times. Each time, they tell me this is one of the side effects from surgery and it should diminish over time. Quite frankly, I am concerned my heart is going to wear out. Any thoughts? Thanks, Pete”

Without a doubt, Pete raises a very valid concern of patients following cardiac surgery.

So you know, I experienced something very similar to Pete after my open heart surgery.

I have always had a high heart rate - about 80 beats per minute (bpm). However, after surgery, my resting heart rate was about 10 bpm higher. Sure enough, like Pete, I called and asked my doctor whether-or-not this was something to be concerned about.

Guess what? My cardiologist suggested that this was “normal”. Sure enough, my heart rate did normalize during my recovery.

In fact, I just located a reference on Medhelp which states, “It is not at all uncommon to have rapid heart rates after open heart surgery. For example, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are very common, as well.”

In some patient cases, however, I have learned that certain drugs (e.g. Metoprolol, Cordarone) may be used to help slow heart rates following surgery. That said, if you are experiencing high heart rates after surgery, I would encourage you to contact your cardiologist to confirm that your situation is not unique.

Remember… Always safe, not sorry!!!

Keep on tickin!

P.S. Do you have any thoughts about high heart rates after heart surgery? If so, please click here to leave a comment for Pete!

About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 8:18 pm and is filed under Post-Operative Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Print This Post | EMail This Post.

15 Responses to “"High Heart Rate After Valve Surgery?" Asks Pete”

anon Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 12:28 am
9 mos later, and I am on a low dose of metoprolol to keep my heart rate down. And it stays down as long as I stay on metoprolol. Still, it is more than just a bit disappointing, it’s a bit worrisome as well, since the artificially low heart rate seems to drag on my ability to climb stairs and the like.
Vicki Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Hi Pete & Adam,

I had a VSD closure and aortic valve repair about 5 months ago. I became tachycardic after surgery (my resting bpm was around 130). I was prescribed metoprolol (Lopressor) to help lower my heart rate. The good news is that as of 2 weeks ago, I was taken off the metoprolol. Right now my heart is still adjusting to being off the medication (my bpm is currently in the upper 90-100 range). I contacted my cardiologist and was told that this was expected, but was not given a timeline as to when I can expect my bpm to return to my normal range.
Cliff Buehrer Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Hello Pete, I had mitral valvee repair on July 29,2008. 2 days after leaving the hospital my pulse jumped from approx 72 to 120. Went back to the hospital and the surgeon was not worried. They put me on low dose metropolol. Seemed to level out in the 90,s. After coming home my cardiologist felt I was having a beta bloker withdrawl. I was on 100mg 2X per day before surgery and nothing after surgery. It took about 3 weeks at my old beta bloker level and my heart hate leveled off in the upper 60’s. Beta blocker withdrawl can be a very serious.
Brian Arrington Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Last week my cardiologist informed me that I needed an aortic valve replacement. My heart rate has always been high. Around 85-90 per minute. Scares me to read that after the surgery it will be even higher.
What gives??
Lloyd Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Pete,

I had a similar problem. After surgery I could not sleep laying down, my heart kept pounding. I slept in a chair for a couple of weeks before I called my doctor. My doctor changed my med Atenolol from 25 mg to 50 mg and he had me take it at bed time. His nurse also suggested I sleep on my side. My surgery last last November and I followed doctor’s orders and have been sleeping quite well.
Daniel Monk Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Pete,
My heart rate is now about 80-90 beats at rest. I underwent Aortic valve replacement a little over a month ago (Biovine Tissue Valve). Prior to surgery it was about 70 bpm. My surgeon told me that although the restriction in my heart is now gone, it can take the heart up to a year to “Re-model” itself. I am taking metoprolo to lower the beat. Eventually I shouldn’t need to take any meds (other than aspirin) I’m told. I also seem to notice my heartbeat more now. I don’t know if it is louder or if I’m just more aware of it.

Dan Monk
Adam Pick Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Anon, Cliff, Vicki, Daniel and Lloyd -

Thanks for all of your comments (above). This is very, very, very, very helpful information.

Keep on tickin!

Adam
Rebecca Roberts Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Pete:

I have had the same problem since my mitral valve repair in Jan. 2009.
A recent Holter monitor showed my average heart rate was 93;with exercise the high was 152; and at rest the low was 63.
I was put on increasing doses of Metoprolol following surgery, until June 3, when I was taken off it, as my blood pressure was dropping extremely low during cardiac rehab., and when I was jogging at home. My blood pressure has improved, but not the heart rate!
Although he has tried to address it through medication, my cardiologist is not extremely concerned…says it is a common problem following surgery.

Becky
Terry Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Hi all,
My heart rate before my mitral valve problem became serious was about 55 to 60; then I went into atrial fib, and had a controlled rate on Digoxin of about 70. After mitral valve repair and a Maze procedure (on March 10 of this year) my heart rate was usually around 90 to 110, still on Dig, and now in a regular rhythm. I was very worried. I could not take a beta blocker because my blood pressure was too low, and indeed I took Midodrine to raise my blood pressure. Then it seemed that almost all of a sudden after three months post op, my heart rate came down to the 60 to 80 range. I have started some weight training again, and a little cardio vascular exercise, and my heart rate seems to rise appropriately and then goes back down. So maybe it is true that the heart takes some time to recover, and that time may really differ in individuals. I am really always hoping that these things are “normal”!!
Ann Garcia Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
On July 1st, I am going to have my mitral valve replaced and a ring on the tricuspid valve. Since I have atrial fibrillation caused by the mitral stenosis and mild pulmonary hypertension, my doctor plans to put wires in place just in case a pace maker is needed later. I will be having the Cox Maze procedure and have been warned that rapid heart rate is normal after surgery.

Thanks to Adam and all of you. I am not afraid of what is to come and look forward to recovery.
Sean R Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Pete,
I’m 60 and in pretty good shape. I had aortic valve and root replacement in Aug. of 2008. Before surgery, my resting heart rate was 52. It’s always been around that. After surgery and for weeks it was around 80. Very disconcerting! Same fears as you. Cardiologist and surgeon told me not to worry, that it would slow back down. It has slowed gradually. 10 months post-op I’m now at 54. So, hang in there!
Sean
Curt Sandberg Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
In my humble opinion, open heart surgery is not a science — it is an invasive “treatment” that your body reacts very negatively to. I had open heart surgery - mitral valve repair - over four years and had the same experience. The surgeon told me that he did an unusual procedure (that provides “better results”) by going in from the back of the heart to repair the valve. My resting heart rate grew to over 100 beats per minute over the next six months. My cardiologist finally prescribed Metoprolol. I have been taking this now for close to four (4) years. There has been no sign that my resting heart rate will ever be “normal” without the Metoprolol. Another disquieting symptom is that when I have been given a stress echo-cardiogram, if I temporarily go off the metoprolol, my heart goes “crazy” and the cardiologist has to abort the test. I can now only do stress echos with the Metoprolol in my system. Again, in my humble opinion, any surgery that cuts heart muscle and/or nerve pathways is a traumatic process for one’s heart. Of course I have to admit that having the surgery is better than being in a box six feet under…
Kerrigan Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I’m at 5 months post-surgery for aortic valve replacement.
After some up and down of the heartrate, the doc settled on a generic form of LoPressor.
My resting heart rate is now around 60 bpm, and it gets up to 100 during my cardio workouts, but mostly stays around 80-90 while exercising.
The drug has reduced the “pounding” heartbeat to a more gentle beat, which is what the docs were looking for post-surgery. This lets the heart rest somewhat and get adjusted to the new valve I’m told.
Seems to be working. My BP gets up to 140 in the morning after waking, but goes down slowly and ends up 110 or so for the rest of the day.
I do have the experience of the drug slowing me down a little, but the tradeoff is worth it.
Hopefully some day I can get off the BP meds.
It’s nice to no longer experience the pounding pulse I had for a couple of months after the surgery!
Everyone seems to react differently to the surgery and the meds. The docs say everyone goes through a dialing in process to find the right combination of meds and lifestyle.
Josh Says:
June 30th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Pete-

This is Josh- I’m just about 4 months out of aortic valve replacement and ascending aortic aneurysm repair. I’m 38 and in otherwise relative good health. My situation after surgery was EXACTLY like yours. Although I’m on a beta blocker, I was very worried about a fast heart rate (resting 80-95 bpm) where I had a much slower one before. Now 4 months later my resting heart rate is at 60-70 bpm, and 100-120 with solid exercise during cardiac rehab. Which by the way, I highly recommend and strongly believe helped get my heart rate back down. My main issue now is just getting used to the strength with which my heart is beating- although it’s slower again, it still feels like it’s pounding in my chest (another thing the doctors say is normal and will calm down soon).

Just hang in there and things seem to work themselves out!

Josh
Elizabeth Borjas Says:
July 14th, 2009 at 11:10 am
I had a mitral valve replacement 10 years ago. I have a mechanical St. Jude valve made out of titanium. I too was put on metoprolol and told I would be on it the rest of my life. I’ve been off it 4 years and my heart beat averages 76 or 80. After my surgery, it was in the 90’s and would sometimes run high. I always felt my legs drag with the medication and my blood pressure was low.

YOU CAN NOT GO OFF THIS MEDICINE ON YOUR OWN. The decision has to be with your doctor and under his or her supervision. You have to be weaned from this med very slowly. The only reason I was taken off was because I was undergoing a test where I had to be taken off.

Your heart rate will slow down with time. Be encouraged and when you feel your heart racing practice slowing your breathing down. It works.

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"High Heart Rate After Valve Surgery?" Asks Pete

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