Question from Mike S.: I (45 years old) was diagnosed with high blood pressure when my heart rate reached 150 during exercise, so I take beta blockers in small doses. Since then, my maximum heart rate has been significantly lower: no longer 205 beats per minute, but more like 175. I have also been diagnosed with pulse interruptions (extrasystoles) during an exercise ECG. However, the doctor told me not to worry and to continue cycling. Am I still allowed to push myself to the limit, for example on long climbs?
Dr Robert Eifler: Beta blockers are mainly used to treat high blood pressure, after a heart attack and in the case of a narrowing of the coronary arteries. They act as a kind of speed limiter by reducing the pulse rate. This reduces oxygen consumption, which in turn protects the heart, but unfortunately also reduces maximum performance. Cardiac arrhythmias can also be treated with beta blockers. Extrasystoles are premature heartbeats that are perceived as interruptions due to the prolonged pause between one beat and the next. In your case, according to your doctor, this is a harmless variant that also responds to beta blockers. This means that you can do endurance sports without any problems and also push yourself to the limit on long climbs.
However, you must accept that your maximum performance capacity is now significantly lower due to the beta blockers. For this reason, beta blockers are not ideal for athletes: so-called ACE inhibitors or AT II antagonists are the better choice here, as they do not affect the heart rate and maximum performance.
