Many ETS patients who had T-2 cut notice a decrease in resting (and maybe max too) heart rate after the surgery (usually by about 10 percent).
I am curious if this could actually increase your life expectancy, since a human heart beats x number of times on average before ceasing to function. So could ETS surgery increase your heart's life by 10 percent?
One possible advantage of a decrease in heart rate post-ETS?
I don't believe this is true at all. Organ systems in our body require a certain amount of blood to operate properly. Them not receiving enough blood would cause deterioration. Think about if one's heart rate decreased by 80%. Surely there wouldn't be nearly enough blood for our body to function over a period of time. That's my theory.
Hey Steve, but ETS only causes a 10 percent or so decrease in heart rate.
Here is my text from the side effects page on my site:
ETS reduces the resting heart rate in a fraction of patients -- this fraction has been listed anywhere from one-tenth to well over one-half depending on which surgeon you listen to. In my opinion, you should assume your heart rate will fall (mine fell by around ten percent). Although probably not dangerous, this is something to keep in mind (and you should ask your surgeon about this if he/she forgets to mention it). Are you willing to mess with your heart rate to get rid of consistently sweaty palms? I would still say yes based on my terribly sweaty palms. The reason ETS reduces your heart rate is because some of the upper thoracic ganglions in the sympathetic chain have direct and/or indirect connections to the heart. It should be noted that the parasympathetic nervous system also affects the heart rate. Some surgeons are now warning that if you are an athlete, ETS might reduce your peak performance due to this side effect. For me, a slightly lower heart rate does not seem to have made any difference in athletic ability. My resting heart rate is never lower than 60 beats per minute, which is the cutoff point for bradycardia. Usually, problems can only arise if you heart rate falls below 50 beats per minute. Also, some surgeons have suggested that a slightly lower hear rate is good for you in the long run.
Interestingly, many athletes such as Lance Armstrong have an excessively low resting heart rate that approaches 30 beats per minute. For most adults, resting heart rates fall between 60 and 80 beats per minute.
Here is my text from the side effects page on my site:
ETS reduces the resting heart rate in a fraction of patients -- this fraction has been listed anywhere from one-tenth to well over one-half depending on which surgeon you listen to. In my opinion, you should assume your heart rate will fall (mine fell by around ten percent). Although probably not dangerous, this is something to keep in mind (and you should ask your surgeon about this if he/she forgets to mention it). Are you willing to mess with your heart rate to get rid of consistently sweaty palms? I would still say yes based on my terribly sweaty palms. The reason ETS reduces your heart rate is because some of the upper thoracic ganglions in the sympathetic chain have direct and/or indirect connections to the heart. It should be noted that the parasympathetic nervous system also affects the heart rate. Some surgeons are now warning that if you are an athlete, ETS might reduce your peak performance due to this side effect. For me, a slightly lower heart rate does not seem to have made any difference in athletic ability. My resting heart rate is never lower than 60 beats per minute, which is the cutoff point for bradycardia. Usually, problems can only arise if you heart rate falls below 50 beats per minute. Also, some surgeons have suggested that a slightly lower hear rate is good for you in the long run.
Interestingly, many athletes such as Lance Armstrong have an excessively low resting heart rate that approaches 30 beats per minute. For most adults, resting heart rates fall between 60 and 80 beats per minute.
Interestingly I was told he same thing when I had to go in to emergency after my T2. It is a very simplistic view of human physiology, and I have seen some surgeons declare this on their websites.
I would challenge anyone thinking along these lines to look into the medical literature. There are several cases reported where (healthy, young) patients after ETS surgery had severe Bradycardia, heart attacks and some who needed a pacemaker! No, it is absolutely not true that it will be ONLY 10% reduction, and no, it will not extend your life....
ETS also causes 'chronotropic incompetence'. Now google the term and 'life-expectancy'.
A little bit of common sense: if you are healthy and well, your hear rate for you is just right. No-one should be adjusting and tweaking it for you, and especially not without your consent. Then again, how could you consent to something you can not imagine and do no understand.
I would challenge anyone thinking along these lines to look into the medical literature. There are several cases reported where (healthy, young) patients after ETS surgery had severe Bradycardia, heart attacks and some who needed a pacemaker! No, it is absolutely not true that it will be ONLY 10% reduction, and no, it will not extend your life....
ETS also causes 'chronotropic incompetence'. Now google the term and 'life-expectancy'.
A little bit of common sense: if you are healthy and well, your hear rate for you is just right. No-one should be adjusting and tweaking it for you, and especially not without your consent. Then again, how could you consent to something you can not imagine and do no understand.