What is the best way to strengthen a 50 year old weak heart with a murmur? -

The heart has constant palpitations. It pounds at night. When the blood pressure is low, it pounds in a milder pattern. Overall, no exercises or special diet is done because none were recommended. Since I do not have any direction from the doctors, what should I do. Does anyone know of a good doctor who really knows his/her job for hypertension, heart disorders, and digestive system decline in the southwest u.s.a.?

I am going to tell you what you need rather than what you want to hear. I suspect that you don t have a diagnosis because nothing is wrong with you. A murmur can be from one of several sources including completely benign sources. If a clinician is suspicious of a murmur then an echocardiogram can be done. Palpitations have a higher frequency in those with poorly controlled anxiety as compared to those who do not. Lastly if you have difficult to control blood pressure and are overweight and/or a loud snorrer, consider going for a sleep study to be evaluated for sleep apnea. Otherwise, save yourself time, money, and peace of mind. Initiate your own exercise. Start a walking program where you are walking at least 3 miles per hour for 30 minutes at a time, three times weekly. If you can t do that then start slower and at less distance, working up adding 10 minutes per week, then adding speed, eventually walking a full hour several times weekly. It will burn off some of your anxiety, you will have better digestive function, and it will help your blood pressure and cardiac function...and it costs nothing. You may also benefit from finding some books on self-relaxation techniques (go to the library if need be). Lastly eat a common sense diet to include all of the food groups and eat in moderation (whatever you were going to eat, put a 1/3 of the serving of everything back and eat the remainder instead.) If you want some further direction go to the american diabetic association (helpful even if you are not diabetic) web site or the american heart association web site for further and specific diet recommendations. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Your cardiologist shoud have given you some restrictions but you can do some light cardio workout like stationary bike, upper extremity bike, stretches on a mat, light weights...do more reps and less sets,example would be 2 sets of 25reps with 2# weights in bicep curls. You need to monitor your heart rate and BP to make sure they don t get to high. When they begin to raise, you need to rest. What state/city do you live

depends on what valve is producing the murmur and how severe it is (exercise in the setting of severe aortic stenosis can kill you). Additionally, need to know if there is any coronary artery disease present, if there is normal heart function, adn if there any any additional medical problems.

My mom was diagnosed with that about 20 years ago. She started walking every day for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. She still does that today. She is 70 years old.

You sound crazy. Tell us the diagnosis you were given other than being a hypochondriac.