World Heart Day is special for Beckie
World Heart Day, observed on Saturday, is a special occasion for Energy FC defender Drew Beckie, who suffered a heart attack less than a year ago.
If anyone can appreciate playing soccer on World Heart Day it is Energy FC defender Drew Beckie.
“I am thankful every day to get to train again and play,” Beckie said.
Saturday is World Heart Day and Beckie, who will be in the Energy FC lineup Saturday night at Las Vegas, suffered a heart attack less than a year ago. He was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle most commonly caused by a viral infection.
“I couldn’t exercise for six months,” Beckie said. “I couldn’t elevate my heart level any higher than a walk.”
Initially, doctors told the 27-year-old soccer player that it was doubtful he could continue being a professional athlete. They feared the virus may have permanently damaged his heart.
Dr. Tarun Dasari, an OU Medicine cardiologist, said myocarditis is very rare and occurs in about 20 to 30 cases per every 100,000 people.
"It is not that athletes are at higher risk, but it is an association we see within young athletes in their 20s and 30s," Dasari said.
Beckie was playing in Finland last year and had gone to visit a friend in Stockholm, Sweden, when he awoke one December morning with terrible lower back pain. Beckie hadn’t felt well and experienced flu-like symptoms in the days prior.
The pain moved to his arms and his jaws. He felt heavy pressure in his chest and began having difficulty breathing.
“Luckily, my buddy was there to take me to the hospital,” Beckie said.
It took about four days before doctors diagnosed myocarditis. Beckie said doctors don’t know how he contracted the virus that entered his heart.
“It could have been anything,” he said. “Every morning and every night I would have very severe pain in the chest. It would last about an hour. They would give some shots to help the pain. There was nothing they could do to stop that.”
The chest pains lasted about a week. Doctors first feared Beckie’s heart may have been permanently damaged.
Doctors didn’t want to risk inducing another cardiac event, so Beckie was told not to exercise for six months. He took some prescription medicine but did not require heart surgery.
He returned to the United States two weeks after the heart attack and started receiving some homeopathic treatments, as well. After six months of testing, he was cleared to resume physical activity. Luckily, the strain of virus Beckie had did not cause any permanent damage to his heart.
Dasari said the majority of health care providers treating myocarditis recommend an athlete avoid sports for 12 to 14 weeks after diagnoses or
longer if there are still symptoms present. The residual inflammation usually subsides in four to 12 weeks after the virus gets completely cleared, he said.
"It is important to point out that myocarditis is probably being under diagnosed," Dasari said. "If a relatively young patient has acute cardiac symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and symptoms of heart failure such as breathing problems, fatigue and swelling of the extremities, myocarditis should be considered. I would encourage a very quick evaluation by a cardiologist.
"The other important thing to mention is that the majority of cases of myocarditis in the USA are viral infections. A few weeks after a patient has had an acute viral illness, if they develop symptoms such as breathing trouble, chest pain, fatigue and swelling of the extremities, then the level of suspicion of myocarditis should be very high. Immediate cardiology consultation should be sought for such patients."
Beckie recovered, gradually got back into shape and signed a contract with Energy FC in June.
“Luckily, I had good care at the time,” Beckie said. “I am not at risk more than anybody else of getting it again.”
The Canadian-born Beckie, who turns 28 on Sunday, said he is now in contract negotiations and hopes to play for Oklahoma City again next season.
“I like it here. I love the city. I love the team. I love the people,” he said. “My teammates have been great. I have no reason to leave, so we will see what happens.”
He is thankful to be playing at all, especially on World Heart Day.