The latest edition of the Movistar Madrid Half marathon ended up dyeing in Black when it died a few meters from the goal, in Plaza de Colón, a 36 -year -old runner after suffering a cardiac arrest and after another 20 -year participant was transferred in a serious condition to a hospital after suffering another heart accident. And although it is not the first time that during a test or sports activity something similar happens these two events have shown that the fact that someone feels strong, with energy and healthy does not necessarily mean that everything in his body Marche so well and that sometimes forcing the machinery can lead to dramatic situations.
In any case, Pedro Daniel Perdiguero Martín, head of the Cardiology Service of the Ávila Assistance Complex, points out that «cardiac arrest during physical exercise is? ? An event with a very low incidence »although due to the dramatic of these events, and because the deaths unexpectedly occur in young and athlete people who apparently enjoy good health, have a lot of impact from both the clinical and social point of view. “If we rely on the incidence, it usually is usually around or below one case per 100,000 inhabitants in people under 35,” says Perdiguero who estimates between 150-200 sudden deaths a year in our young younger country while practicing sports. An incidence that in the oldest population (35-75 years) increases up to one case for every 18,000.? ?
The causes of these cardiac strikes, continues the head of cardiology of the Ávila healthcare complex, also depend on age so that these sudden deaths “are usually associated with congenital or hereditary heart diseases in people who do not know that they suffer from them because no revision has ever been made.” On the other hand, these sudden heart strikes continue in those over 35 while a physical effort or sports activity is performed, they usually associate to ischemic heart disease or coronary heart Smoking, may be behind that heart failure related to atherosclerosis or deterioration of body arteries, which in the case of the hearts progressively narrow through cholesterol plaques, increasing the risk of suffering a heart attack.
“Sudden death is usually associated with congenital heart diseases”“People over 35 years of age with risk factors and who are generally not prepared for the level of effort required by a marathon or a high -intensity physical activity are more risk of suffering a heart attack,” acknowledges perdiguero that makes it clear that all people who do physical exercise regularly and even more of high intensity, a medical examination would have to be performed.
In principle, and to remain calm, the Head of Cardiology speaks of a standard medical examination, which implies a basic physical examination that entails a cardiopulmonary auscultation, an electrocardiogram, as well as a medical history in which the possible symptoms of alarm and risk factors of the amateur athlete are studied. “If this recognition is initially normal and the patient has no family history of heart disease, in principle sporting activity could be done with some security, according to age and the intensity that one is accustomed,” says the doctor who recalls that “if one is not trained, logically cannot do a marathon directly without training.”
On the other hand, if in this basic physical examination something that is not normal is detected, such as a pathological auscultation (heart blows) or that the electrocardiogram is not normal, the patient should undergo a more specific recognition by a cardiologist. Also in the event that the amateur athlete has many risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, overweight or obesity, either or has been smoker, it is advisable to perform more specific tests such as an ultrasound of the heart, to assess the size, morphology and functionality of the heart.
To the elderly, he continues to explain, to people who do high intensity sports, from 35 years, age in which there is already more risk of having cardiovascular problems, they are recommended to make a more exhaustive recognition that includes ultrasound and an effort test “to verify that the heart has a normal morphology and function and that can perform sports activity with some security.”
training. “If a person is not accustomed to exercising the heart rate regularly, it will be higher, being able to reach an excessive effort for their level of training and physical demands that can put their physical integrity at risk since there is a moment that the heart cannot accelerate anymore,” explains Dr. Perdiguero who points out that in these cases increases the risk of having heart problems. That is why this cardiologist recommends “being always trained” and reducing the intensity of exercise depending on this degree of training, age and especially if the heart rate is very high during the activity.
Even so, says Dr. Perdiguero, doing a medical examination, even as exhaustive as possible, “does not always prevents 100% of sudden death but the probabilities of it do greatly decrease.” For this reason, he insists on the need that in any competition or sports test there will always be trained personnel to make a cardiopulmonary resuscitation, both basic and advanced, and also in the importance that in these events or sports enclosures there is defibrillator.
“This really is what will help most in case of an unexpected death to the fact that the consequences are not fatal,” he recognizes that he regrets that “if the cardiac arrest has been very prolonged and the maneuvers have not been made quickly and effectively, this will determine the prognosis of the patient that in many cases will suffer brain damage.” “All people, not only health personnel, should be prepared to make a basic resuscitation (thoracic compressions) and from the first second, since every minute that passes without performing resuscitation maneuvers decreases the probability of survival by 10%,” says the head of cardiology of the Ávila assistance complex that is convinced that these maneuvers performed immediately are fundamental to save lives.
Signs that should be alerted to us. Although unfortunately cardiac strikes do not usually give notices there are some symptoms that may indicate problems: notice pressure or discomfort in the chest when walking or performing any physical activity, or excessive fatigue (lack of air) when doing an activity that we normally did previously effortlessly are, as lost, some of the signs that can alert us of some cardiac pathology. Also that the heart accelerates excessively without apparent cause being at rest (palpitations), that the pulse is irregular or that sudden consciousness losses occur especially during the effort, or being at rest (those known as syncopes). In these cases, the assessment by a cardiology specialist should be carried out.
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