High Prevalence of Arrhythmias in Elderly Male Athletes with a Lifelong History of Regular Strenuous Exercise

Overview

Journal Heart

Date 1998 Apr 16

PMID 9538309

Citations 13

Authors

K Jensen-Urstad

F Bouvier

B Saltin

M Jensen-Urstad

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To characterise cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac autonomic function in 11 elderly men (mean (SD) age 73.2 (2.8) years) with a lifelong history of regular very strenuous, exercise. A control group of 12 healthy sedentary or moderately physically active men (74.5 (2.7) years) was also studied.

Design: 48 hour ambulatory electrocardiograms were recorded. Cardiac autonomic function was estimated from power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Maximal oxygen uptake during treadmill exercise testing was 2.91 (0.52) l (41 (7) ml/kg).

Results: Nine of 11 athletes had complex ventricular arrhythmias compared with five of 12 controls. Seven athletes but none of the controls had episodes of heart rate below 40 beats/min and two athletes had RR intervals longer than two seconds. Heart rate variability in the athletes was higher than in the controls.

Conclusions: Elderly athletes with a lifelong training history seem to have more complex arrhythmias and profound bradyarrhythmias than do healthy elderly controls, which may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death. In contrast, the age related decrease in heart rate variability seems to be retarded, which has a positive prognostic value and may decrease the risk of life threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

Citing Articles

The effects of endurance exercise on the heart: panacea or poison?.

Parry-Williams G, Sharma S Nat Rev Cardiol. 2020; 17(7):402-412.

PMID: 32152528 DOI: 10.1038/s41569-020-0354-3.

Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management of exercise-induced arrhythmias.

Guasch E, Mont L Nat Rev Cardiol. 2016; 14(2):88-101.

PMID: 27830772 DOI: 10.1038/nrcardio.2016.173.

Hemodynamic and metabolic response during dynamic and resistance exercise in different intensities: a cross-sectional study on implications of intensity on safety and symptoms in patients with coronary disease.

Caruso F, Junior J, Mendes R, Sperling M, Arakelian V, Bassi D Am J Cardiovasc Dis. 2016; 6(2):36-45.

PMID: 27335689 PMC: 4913213.

Recommendations and cardiological evaluation of athletes with arrhythmias: Part 2.

Hoogsteen J, Bennekers J, van der Wall E, van Hemel N, Wilde A, Crijns H Neth Heart J. 2015; 12(5):214-222.

PMID: 25696329 PMC: 2497109.

Physical activity and heart rate variability in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Soares-Miranda L, Sattelmair J, Chaves P, Duncan G, Siscovick D, Stein P Circulation. 2014; 129(21):2100-10.

PMID: 24799513 PMC: 4038662. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.005361.

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