Athletes face higher risk of irregular heart rate, study says — especially young ones
Exercise has long been known to improve heart health and reduce one’s chances of disease. But there’s a limit that can transform what is usually a beneficial activity into one that puts you in harm’s way.
It’s a reality that many athletes face, and more often than you’d assume.
A new analysis of existing studies published between 1990 and 2020 found that athletes have a 2.46 times higher risk of atrial fibrillation — the most common type of heart arrhythmia — than non-athletes.
The condition occurs when the heart beats too slowly, too quickly or in an irregular rhythm. Also known as AFib, the condition may come about in brief episodes or become permanent.
And younger athletes are even more at risk.
The U.K. researchers found that younger athletes under 55 years old had a 3.6 times higher risk of AFib than older athletes. While the reason the condition affects younger athletes more often is not yet known, some researchers speculate a surge in hormones during physical activity may explain the age disparities.
Dr. Michael Goyfman, director of clinical cardiology at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills hospital in New York, told Healthline that the condition is “multifactorial,” meaning several different causes could trigger it in athletes.
It could be genetics or other health conditions such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes, Goyfman told the outlet. He also noted that exercise itself can change the structure of the heart by enlarging some of its four chambers where blood flows, particularly those on the left side, which is a known risk factor for AFib.
“The AFib [that] a senior with various health conditions experiences will be different than that experienced by someone younger with a genetic predisposition to the condition,” he said.
But more research needs to be done to fully understand the correlation between exercise and heart arrhythmia; there’s little evidence to suggest intense levels of physical activity directly cause the condition.
The U.K. team analyzed 13 studies that included data on 70,478 people, 6,816 of whom were athletes in sports such as cycling, running, swimming, rowing, football and rugby. The rest of the participants were non-athletes. Because of limited data on female athletes, the study could not determine the relative risk of AFib by gender.
The researchers also didn’t find a significant difference in risk of AFib in people with cardiovascular disease risk factors such as hypertension, regardless of athletic status. However, the team did learn that among those without other health conditions, athletes faced a 3.7 times higher risk of the condition than non-athletes.
The study was published Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
It seems counterintuitive that the more physical activity a person does, the higher their risk of AFib, but even exercise must be done in moderation.
Research on more than 50,000 skiers in Sweden found that the strongest predictors of AFib in athletes was the number of races they completed and their race times. The more races and faster times, the higher their risk.
It’s estimated that 12.1 million Americans will have AFib by 2030, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Common symptoms include heart palpitations, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pain and extreme fatigue. People with obesity, heart failure, diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure are at increased risk for AFib.
People who are heavy alcohol drinkers and smokers also face higher risks of developing the condition.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 12:39 PM with the headline "Athletes face higher risk of irregular heart rate, study says — especially young ones."
