Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects one in 500 people, the Cleveland Clinic says. This disease is usually genetic and causes the ventricles of the heart to thicken and enlarge. A larger ventricular muscle makes it harder for your heart to fill with blood and pump blood. This reduces your heart's effectiveness, which can lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac death. Strenuous exercise causes a rapid increase in blood flow, which a heart with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may not be able to handle.
Your Heart during Exercise
Your heart supplies all of the blood that your body needs. During exercise, your energy needs increase, which means so must blood flow. This means your heart must work harder. Heart rate, cardiac output and blood pressure all increase to supply the body with the blood it needs. The more intense and strenuous your activity, the harder your heart must work.
Strenuous Exercise
Medical experts advise against high-intensity exercise such as heavy lifting, sprinting or competitive sports if you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The increase in intensity is too strenuous for the heart, and you may risk sudden death, independent of other factors such as age. Dr. Maite Tome, of the Heart Hospital in London, says the general medical consensus for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, regardless of symptoms or ventricular output, is to avoid highly strenuous competitive sports.
Exercise for Cardiomyopathy
Some exercise can be safe for those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In fact, regular light-to-moderate aerobic activity can be helpful. Before you start any new exercise program, always gain clearance from your doctor. To participate in exercise safely, choose a non-competitive aerobic activity such as walking or bicycling. Do not lift weights. Your doctor can give you specific guidelines based on your own personal medical history.
Danger Signs
You should be aware of symptoms that can indicate a problem while you are exercising. Chest pain, light-headedness, dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, longer time to recover, or increase in the severity of symptoms while not exercising all may be indications that your exercise program may need to change. If you experience these symptoms while exercising, stop the activity and seek medical attention.
