Can videogames trigger a heart attack?
Can videogames trigger a heart attack?
Recently I've diagnosed with some heart problems and they have recommended me to avoid getting excited.
I recall that when I played Tarkov my pulse could get above 120 beats per minute in certain situaciones. I wanted to install Tarkov but I'm curious if there is a real risk.
Don't ask online strangers for medical advice. Go to a doctor if you're worried
Some of the best / most nuanced medical advice I've ever received is from online forums.
I think what you really mean is "don't risk your life on the basis of advice from strangers".
Note that all the other answers ITT say "yes anything that elevates your HR is dangerous", so OP knows not to play that type of game before his next appointment with his cardiologist, which could be weeks or months away.
Had they not asked, they wouldn't know to avoid that activity.
Thank you for putting words for what I didn't have the strength to answer.
Also I think the question is interesting, independently of why it's asked. Maybe there was some recorded case.
Also de first doctor I've seen said that the affection is minor and nothing to worry but that I should avoid excitement. He told me that in person 3 weeks ago and I bet that I'll have to wait 2 more before he send me the report in writing to bring it to another doctor which I'm doing. He was the doctor from works anual medical review so his interest is on not making a fuzz of it. Meanwhile the answer could help.
Nope. Don't take medical advice from the internet. Full stop. Don't give a shit shit your anecdotal experience. Don't take fucking advice from randos on the Internet.
Honestly, taking medical advice from online strangers will probably trigger a heart attack. Either in the person taking the advice, or an actual medical doctor.
why should i trust you
Yes. I'm dealing with managing high blood pressure, and my cardiologist temporarily had me stop all exercise. I specifically asked about videogames (Rainbow Six Siege gets my pulse up) and was told that this counts. Better safe than sorry until your heart problems get sorted out.
Tarkov is probably one of the worst possible games for this.
This exactly.
I don't play Fortnite any more for the same reasons.
The heart doesn't care where the adrenaline comes from - the strain on the organ will be the same either way. Anything that makes your pulse and/or blood pressure go up can pose a risk, independendly from whether or not it is "just a game".
..but like others have said already: better ask an actual doctor for advice on how to handle the situation. Maybe "small doeses" will be okay, or you can get a way to monitor your vitals and take a break before you get too worked up, but an actual medical professional should decide that in the end.
If you're playing games that give you a response with your heart rate, them id say that's probably a bit risky. Would definitely be worth asking your doctor as I am not a medical professional. Could be worth trying some more chill games that don't produce an adrenaline response like that.
Sounds like you've already answered your question yourself.
Play horror games -> get scared of something + have a weak heart -> risks of RIP
I guess.Dude comes with built in permadeath difficulty.
A bit rough, eh?
Anything that gets your heart racing can trigger a heart attack.
May I ask you about the nature of your heart problems exactly?
Because a "heart attack" is not actually a medical thing. What people usually mean when they say "heart attack" is what we call a myocardial infarction (lack of blood flow to the heart muscle caused by a blockage or constriction in a coronary artery.) And less commonly people use the term "heart attack" to refer to cardiac arrest where the heart just stops beating for some reason. (Myocardial infarction can turn into cardiac arrest, but cardiac arrest can happen because of any number of other things as well.)
So do you have a confirmed occlusion of a coronary artery? Or do you have a diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia of some kind? What are they planning to do to treat you? Because "don't get excited" isn't a long term management strategy. It's usually just to get you through until you find a successful treatment.
(I'm a cardiac critical care nurse. AMA)
I had an anomalous cardiogram, he said that some of the current went missing, but is was very little and shouldn't be worried. Also today I received a blood test with high cholesterol DHL (40 mg/dl) and high fibriogen plasma(4.66 g/L)
I'm asking for an appointment as soon as I get the written report so a doctor can interpret those for me and luckily plan a treatment.
Hmm, "current went missing" isn't a phrase I'm used to hearing. I wonder if the cardiogram was indicating some level of heart block (often not a dangerous condition, just something to monitor).
With the high fibrinogen, they're probably concerned about clotting. I wonder, did they check a blood test called d-dimer by chance?
I'm glad you'll be seeing a doctor soon. We have a lot of good treatments for cardiac conditions these days.
First, this is a question for a medic, not an obscure forum in a corner of the internet. Any way, it may depend on your involvement in the game and the type of game.
A few years back a redditor recorded his and his grilfriend's BPM while playing different games. Im trying to get the link.
In my memory, the one with lowest BPM was stardew Valley(it was animal crossing)Edit: Corrected some info.
Its not as data rich as i remembered it, but eere is the link
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/rqjwh5/my_gf_and_i_tracked_the_average_effect_of_video/
If a doctor says elevated pulse (regardless of cause) and lists things like exercise then it sounds like a yes.
But as others have said just ask. Best to be clear on what does and doesn’t count.
Hey.
Medically my heart is in tiptop shape.
Nevertheless, Tarkov has given me twelve heart attacks, seven strokes, four aneurysms, two broken bones and high cholesterol.
I do not recommend you play Tarkov.
I think this whole thread is some awesome guerilla marketing for Tarkov.
It's not hype, the immersion is deep, and the audio aspect of the game pulls your focus way in. It definitely gives you a crazy rush and it takes a long time to get used to it
No worries just put some Vaseline on your lips, that'll fix you right up
Is the actual problem pulse or blood pressure? According to my Fitbit, my hearth rate fluctuates between ~ 60 - 160 BPM through they day. A short 20 second jog can make it rise above 120 easily. But gaming is different. My pulse usually sits around resting heart rate (because my body is technically at rest) but sometimes when playing Tarkov or DayZ my blood pressure rises to the point that I can feel my own heartbeat in my ears while my pulse remains at resting rate.