adamrice 

I'm 54, generally fit, lifetime cyclist, and have been riding about 160 miles/week throughout the pandemic. My resting heart rate was in the mid-40s, and my max would get up to 172 on very hard efforts.

After a recent physical, I was put on Amlodipine for the first time. It seems to have compressed the range of my heart rate: higher lows and lower highs. My RHR is in the low 50s now. I can only get my heart rate up to 160 with great difficulty, and when riding intervals, it seems as if my heart is sluggish about rising to the level of effort I am asking of it. Also, interestingly, after nearly a month, my BP is down, but not down enough to be "safe".

I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar experience, what it means, what you've done about it.

Iride01 

I don't know, I don't have hypertension and have never been close to that. Knock wood.

Have you read all the side effects and cautions that those meds have? It is one of the reasons I don't eat meat to the extent I used to. And I also put more actual vegetables into my diet instead of the starches and empty carb pastas I used to eat. I even went fully pesco-ovo-vegetarian for a couple years and actually had some of my better cycling stats then. I seen some that said doing so for them got them off blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds too.

Also realize that as you get fitter in the cardio-vascular sense, then your heart doesn't have to pump as fast to move the volume of blood needed to service the needs of your muscles.

And to give you an experience I had going the other way.... I was on Adderall for a year or so recently. It increased my HR about 10 bpm. But my performance wasn't showing as good in my stats. When I quit the Adderall, my HR went down and my performance increased. I think doctors feel I'm nuts, but I swear that I could tell my HR beats were not moving as much blood while on the Adderall. It never felt like my heart was doing a full stroke.

jadocs

How large is this sample size? Is this a couple rides or over the course of a month or two?

I'm same age, also on BP meds and riding threshold power over the course of one hour I hold mid 150s. That is a TT effort though, no sprinting other than getting out of the saddle coming out of a turn for a little bit. My max recorded HR since I started riding is 172.

Edit: I see you said over the course of a month.

adamrice 

This is over about 4 weeks. Each week I do 4 erg rides (where I just watch my stats get graphed in front of me as I go) and one long road ride.

Just yesterday I rode 3x12 min @ 90%, and it was only toward the end of the last interval that I was able to get my heart rate into the high 140s. In a workout about 10 days ago I rode 9x3 @110%, and it was only in the last couple of intervals that I managed to get my heart rate up to 160.

Gundo

I'm on the same drug. My heart rate doesn't exceed 148 now. I've had it in the 170's at one point. It effects my climbs mostly but I'm not fast to begin with, so I just accept it for what it is. Of course I'm 73 and just glad to still be riding.

jadocs

Are you using a power meter or going off feeling?

adamrice 

I've got a smart trainer. I don't have a PM on my bike, so my erg rides are calibrated, my road rides are not.

Marylander

My own experience with amlodipine was not great. Last year I was getting ready for a marathon and was in great shape. My doc, an exercise oriented cardiologist, put me on amlodipine and I ended up having a terrible September. Knowing that it can take awhile to acclimate to a drug I gave it a whole month. My running performance just went into the toilet. My doc switched me off it but it took a few months before I felt back to normal while training. I got so frustrated I bought a bicycle and ended up switching from running (since I didn't have a baseline in cycling it wasn't frustrating to have my performance down ).

There are a lot of different blood pressure meds out there. If I were you I would try a different one. We're all different and reacted to medications differently and this just might not be the right drug for you.

Cougrrcj

I'm on 40mg Lisinopril, 10mg Amlodipine, and 25mg HZT. BP on meds is 115/70 or better. Resting heart rate in the mid 50s, and on my 20+mph riding speed 12.5-mile flat commute my pulse never goes above 135, and that is probably only for the 40' combined highway/railroad overpass, otherwise it is less than 120 when riding. I have thick blood - it runs in the family.

canklecat

Yeah, that's common with beta blockers. I occasionally take metoprolol, and used to take propranolol, for migraines/cluster headaches. It dropped my heart rate 10-20 bpm on the same efforts on the same routes. I have to adjust my expectations a bit on those days. And if I take it only occasionally it tends to make me feel a bit sluggish as well, although some folks get past that with daily usage.

Hermes

Moved to Pills and Ills. The med is a calcium blocker not a beta blocker although the effect on the heart may be the same. Talk with doc and ask for a different medication that does not impact heart rate but lowers BP. Good luck.

deacon mark

I take Losartan and it is angiotensin II receptor not a beta blocker, but neither is amlodipine, It really should not effect you that much but I suppose it can. Mine is not supposed to but still think any of the meds can and do. Beta blocker like Lisinopril will definitely have an effect. I have much experience with this I have had HBP since I was a teenager a 14 years old. Been taking meds my whole life for it. It does bring it down but all the running and cycling and cardio still does not keep me from meds. I once took a beta blocker years ago but they was stopped as my resting pulse is 40 and it went to 30. I was zapped.

mike.b

I also took metoprolol for about five years during my early forties when I was 35lbs heavier and diagnosed with prehypertension. My experience is similar to those above. On the med, I had more endurance since my max heart rate was kept down. As of last night, I was 118/75

mike

Gundo

Feeling mostly and how I do on certain segments on Strava

Climb14er

I learned that as you get older, it's more important to keep your blood pressure as close to 'normal' than concerning myself as to how high I can get my heart rate during workouts. Been a lifelong cyclist, runner, mountaineer and I've pushed my heart rate to very high levels. Being in very good condition, my body could handle it, especially during those twelve to fifteen hour climbs at high altitude. Had to get on a BP med, family history, started with Lisinopril... hated the constant dry cough. Bad drug for folks with asthma or exercise induced asthma! Been on Losartan and HCTZ and my body can push hard workouts and maintain a normal to a slightly lower than normal BP. My body likes this. Will turn sixty eight next month and about to head out and pound miles. Stay healthy and safe!

Hondo Gravel

Valsartan and Amlodipine for me. Hereditary high blood pressure nothing I can do about it. Ride over a hundred miles a week sometimes 200. Hate taking meds but I must. Sometimes the meds make me feel tired just depends. Doc says keep doing that bike riding and try to keep the beer to no more than a six pack

JLDickmon

I'm a little late to this party, but..
YES.
BP meds do affect your heart rate.
I'm on atenolol, and when I leave the house on my bike, I have an 18% grade in less than 300 yards in any direction.. and I normally have to get off the bike and walk until my heart rate comes up, then I can remount and go on my way.

Carbonfiberboy 

Good for you! I understand that many of those 14ers are hard to protect.

Carbonfiberboy 

You need a trainer on your front porch for warming up!