Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Is It Advisable For Someone With Blocked Arteries To Run?
Question: Can someone with a blocked arteries run? Wouldn't he feel tightness of the chest ?
Brief Answer:
Chest tightness is not always felt in people with blocked arteries
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Running is a subjective non specific activity and highly variable in the population. The stamina, speed, distance, body build, mental alertness and other subjective factors have an influence on running.
2. I guess you are discussing about coronary arteries which supply blood to the muscles in the heart. Blocked arteries usually indicate more than 50 percent block and significant blocks are those having luminal occlusion of 75 percent or more.
3. When we combine running and significantly blocked arteries toogether, there is a wise spectrum of outcomes which we might see. In some patietns, there might be severe tightness and they will not be able to proceed with the running. In most people with lesser amount of blockage, they might runs a distance and then feel tiredness and with continued running a dhest tightness might be felt. In a small group, no chest tightness might be felt even after running a distance.
4. The above situation is practically assessed in patients by doing the treadmill test which tests the risk of heart attack in a patient. In this examination, there are set standards of exercise which is classified by gender, age and physical standards of the patient. Then the vital parameters including ECG are measured as the person is running, first at slow spped and then faster followed by running on an inclination. The test is stopped when the patient develops discomfort, chest tightness, breathlessness or chest pain.
5. In conclusion, the answer to your query will be that people with blocked arteries initially do not feel any chest tightness and with continued running, they might complain of various levels of chest tightness, chest pain and breathlessness.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Chest tightness is not always felt in people with blocked arteries
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Running is a subjective non specific activity and highly variable in the population. The stamina, speed, distance, body build, mental alertness and other subjective factors have an influence on running.
2. I guess you are discussing about coronary arteries which supply blood to the muscles in the heart. Blocked arteries usually indicate more than 50 percent block and significant blocks are those having luminal occlusion of 75 percent or more.
3. When we combine running and significantly blocked arteries toogether, there is a wise spectrum of outcomes which we might see. In some patietns, there might be severe tightness and they will not be able to proceed with the running. In most people with lesser amount of blockage, they might runs a distance and then feel tiredness and with continued running a dhest tightness might be felt. In a small group, no chest tightness might be felt even after running a distance.
4. The above situation is practically assessed in patients by doing the treadmill test which tests the risk of heart attack in a patient. In this examination, there are set standards of exercise which is classified by gender, age and physical standards of the patient. Then the vital parameters including ECG are measured as the person is running, first at slow spped and then faster followed by running on an inclination. The test is stopped when the patient develops discomfort, chest tightness, breathlessness or chest pain.
5. In conclusion, the answer to your query will be that people with blocked arteries initially do not feel any chest tightness and with continued running, they might complain of various levels of chest tightness, chest pain and breathlessness.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Note: For further inquiries on surgery procedure and its risks or complications book an appointment now
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
