Beyond Weight and Fitness
So does the risk of heart disease in fibromyalgia has something to do with the patient’s weight and level of fitness? Maybe not.
A 2011 research discovered several abnormalities in the group of people having fibromyalgia, which include the following:
- Chronotropic incompetence
- Delayed heart-rate recovery
It is important to note that in the said study, the control group and the illness group were matched according to body mass index and age, so those who have fibromyalgia are not more overweight compared to the healthy group.
Chronotropic incompetence happens when the heart rate cannot be increased in order to deal with the rigorous demands of certain physical activities. This is said to result in exercise intolerance, which is common among people who have cardiovascular diseases.
Exercise intolerance is common in patients with fibromyalgia and this study can help to explain the reason why. This should provide some vindication to fibromyalgia patients as they are often told that they just need to exercise more and then they will get better.
