Taking beta blockers will affect how your heart responds to exercise. Most people can still gain the benefits of exercise with some slight modifications to their routine. Whenever you want to combine prescription medications and exercise, however, it's important to get your doctor's advice first. This is especially important for people who are taking medications that affect the cardiovascular system, such as beta blockers.
Beta Blockers and Heart Rate
Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of adrenaline on your heart rate. This hormone is released when your body is under stress, not unlike exercise. For that reason, you may find it difficult to reach your target heart rate when working out -- the medicine keeps your heart rate lower. Some individuals may experience significant drops in resting heart rate of 20 beats or more per minute. Therefore, you will need to approach your exercise routine differently.
Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale
Assuming your doctor has cleared you for such exercise, you can do aerobic workouts and meet the exercise goal set by the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010." However, rather than using heart rate to gauge you effort, you will need to use a different means, such as a perceived exertion scale. The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is an exercise in self-awareness: You assess your effort based on your own experience by giving it a number. For example, a rating of 6 means no effort on your part while 17 is extremely hard effort. The goal is to be somewhere in between: A 13 represents moderate effort, where you feel tired, but you are able to continue exercising.
Exercise Benefits
It's well established that aerobic exercise at moderate intensity helps improve cardiovascular fitness. A 2005 study by the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium found that endurance training brought about reductions in blood pressure in hypertensive participants. Since many patients on beta blockers are taking them for high blood pressure, this is just another reason to pursue cardiovascular exercise, if your health allows.
Cautions
It is essential to listen to your body when exercising, especially when on a beta blocker. Biking and running are generally appropriate when on a beta blocker, but it's important not to exercise at high intensity levels until after you have been exercising regularly for six months, according to the American Heart Association.
References
- American Heart Association: Prevention and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
- Mayo Clinic: High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- Mayo Clinic: Beta Blockers: How Do They Affect Exercise?
- USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: Guidelines for Americans, 2010 Balancing Calories to Manage Weight
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Perceived Exertion (Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale)
- "Hypertension"; Effects of endurance training on blood pressure, blood pressure-regulating mechanisms, and cardiovascular risk factors; V. Cornelissen and R. Fagard; October 2005
