Cross-country skier risk of arrhythmia

Ski cross-country study: Significantly increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia

01.09.2011

Cross-country skiers are at an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias, according to a Swedish study conducted by Uppsala Medical University. Atrial fibrillation and bradycardia occurred most frequently in a study of top athletes.

Continuous and excessive stress on the cross-country skier's body can lead to serious cardiac arrhythmias. This was the result of a study project at Uppsala Medical University in Sweden. Those who train at a high level as cross-country skiers and participate in competitions have a higher risk of cardiac arrhythmias, as study author Dr. med. Kasper Andersen at the European Cardiologists Congress (ESC) in Paris explained. The risk is increased the more often the athletes expend their physical energy and participate in endurance competitions. To determine the risk values, the Swedish research team examined the data of 47,500 top athletes who competed in the 90-kilometer cross-country competition in 1989 and 1998 „Vasaloppet“ participated.

Intense competition increased risk of arrhythmias
Athletes who participated in the physically demanding races at least seven or more times showed a 29 percent increased risk of having cardiac arrhythmia after the competition than those who participated for the first time. The more intense the athletes competed in the sporting event, the higher the risk of arrhythmias was. For example, ski cross-country skiers who completed the 90-kilometer track in 100 to 160 percent of the winning time showed a cardiac arrhythmia problem that was 37 percent greater than those who needed more than 241 percent of the winning time.

The sports patients were most frequently affected by atrial fibrillation and bradycardia (pulse below 50 beats per minute). Fortunately, the scientists found no significant increase in potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias such as ventricular arrhythmias. In medicine, the generic term cardiac arrhythmias is summarized for all heart failure disorders in which the heart beats either irregularly, too fast or too slowly. The normal resting heart rate is an average of 60 to 80 beats per minute. Active athletes usually have a lower heart rate than normal when exercising regularly, because the heart muscle performs the heartbeat much more effectively.

Active exercise promotes the cardiovascular system
Is the study now a plea for less strenuous exercise because the intensity of heart problems can occur? Professor Josef Niebauer from the Institute for Preventive and Rehabilitative Sports Medicine of the Private Medical University of Salzburg commented „Upper Austria Online“ the study results as follows: "What also has side effects“. Nevertheless, physical endurance sport is the best way to protect yourself from illness. In addition, sport is one „Guarantee for a better quality of life and life expectancy, "said the sports physician „are deliberately published and commented on, because they are completely wrong to water on the mills of those who are looking for excuses to do any sports.“ Especially heart patients are recommended by cardiologists in addition to a healthy diet gentle endurance sports. (Sb)

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Image: Tokamuwi