37% of highly trained endurance athletes had scar (focal late gadolinium enhancement) on their MRI which is a 10-fold increase over normal. Below is a cross section of the ventricles. The yellow arrow points to the scar. Inclusion criteria for the study were: (a) highly-trained endurance athletes (20–45 years) who had trained for a minimum of…
Category: exercise
exercise and AFIB
As an electrophysiologist in Boulder, Colorado I get a lot of questions about how much exercise is recommended for patients with arrhythmias. Exercise is good for you but is more better? Anecdotal evidence has suggested that endurance exercise increases the risk of atrial fibrillation. A recent study published in European Heart Journal addressed this issue….
walking : one step at a time -erling kagge
Perfect reading for the day before I participate in “Walk with a Doc“in Superior, CO. I have always been a passionate fan of walking. I advise my patients to walk – this is an activity that they can do well into their nineties, without any special equipment required. If walking sounds too pedestrian :-), use…
game changers
Need more inspiration to switch to a plant based diet? Watch Gamechangers this on Netflix:
get a dog!
have you taken your pills today?
Sleep serotonin, growth hormone, melatonin, prolactin Exercise endorphins Meditation serotonin, growth hormone, melatonin, DHEA, GABA, endorphins Walk in nature endorphins, decreases cortisol Or you can try the synthetic variety – your choice. Aldous Huxley predicted America’s dependence on pills with great accuracy.
endurance exercise & AFIB
MODERATION Endurance exercise is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation. I have observed this effect since I started practice in Boulder 15 y ago. I have spent hours with my patients, discussing the role of moderation in exercise. Here is data to support this recommendation. Meden Agan The temple of Apollo at Delphi bore the inscription Meden Agan (μηδὲν…
athletes & heart arrhythmias
Moderation in everything, including exercise. Food for thought:
work too much = AFIB
How does too much work lead to AFIB? Not enough sleep Not enough exercise Eating out too much Alcohol to relax after long day at work Stress However a recent study in the European Heart Journal showed that working long hours was an independent risk factor for AFIB. The authors state “Although the 2016 European…
fitness trackers – not worth it!
I was one of the early adopters of fitness trackers. But very soon thereafter I gave them up. 4 reasons: Inaccurate Not helpful Cardiac neurosis Big data Inaccurate: There was a class action lawsuit against FitBit based on inaccuracy of its data. Apple Watch has been very well received by cardiologists and patients alike. While…