Regular cardiovascular care for athletes

Even recreational athletes should have a cardiac screening regularly

07/22/2013

It is not uncommon for heart disease to go undetected before it becomes an acute event in the form of a heart attack. For recreational athletes apply here under certain conditions, an increased risk, reports the Federal Association of Cardiologists (BNK) and therefore advises athletes to check their hearts regularly.

„Heart attacks and even deaths occur again and again in large sporting events in the professional field, but also in recreational athletes“, reports the BNK. Often, the actual cause is an unrecognized heart disease, which comes to light as part of the physical strain. A regular medical check-up of the heart could remedy this situation and significantly reduce the risk of acute events, according to the BNK. The Federal Association of established cardiologists has set itself the goal of making more aware of the risk of sudden cardiac death in sport while improving prevention.

Undiscovered heart diseases are the biggest dangers in popular sports
So far the focus in sports medicine is clearly on orthopedics, „the greatest dangers, especially in popular sports, however, threaten with undiscovered heart disease“, explained the BNK federal chairman Norbert Smetak. Examples from other countries have shown that targeted cardiological check-ups (heart check-ups) can drastically reduce the rate of incidents in sporting events. Among the possible unrecognized heart disease, which subsequently cause acute discomfort during physical activity, according to the expert Other arteriosclerosis of the coronary arteries and the associated coronary heart disease. This particularly affects people over the age of thirty. Younger, however, more often show a morbidly enlarged myocardial mass, which can cause problems with exercise. In general, sport is also unsuitable for infections with concomitant fever.

Observe warnings on acute heart complaints
Anyone who feels sport in the chest, a chest pain or chest pain or heart pain, should be given the impending risk of serious complications his body a break and in case of doubt alert immediately an ambulance. Heart stumbling or more common concomitant symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting are also to be considered as warning signs.

Properly operated sport the best prevention against acute heart trouble
Dr. Susanne Berrisch-Rahmel, head of the new working group „Sports and prevention“ The BNK explained that the risks, however, should not discourage people from doing sports. Rather, an important goal of her working group is to get people to do sports. Because properly-practiced sport - while at the same time maintaining precautionary measures - is an optimal preventive measure against heart and other diseases. (Fp)

Picture credits: Dieter Schütz