Heart disease and the athlete
people who do not take part in much physical activity and active people or even professional athletes, so it’s up to you to be responsible for your health and go for a check-up.
“It is always a good idea to go for a medical check-up and a heart screening before starting on a sports regime, especially if there is a history of heart disease, hypertension or stroke in your family,” he continues.
Regular yearly heart screenings are recommended for men above the age of 45 and women above the age of 55.
A heart screening will involve detailed history taking, physical examination, blood tests and an exercise stress test, where the person will go through a graded physical activity, usually involving walking or running on a treadmill, and the condition of their heart during this “stress” will be recorded and examined.
Athletes should also take precautions when they are playing sports.
There are several things to avoid to ensure that your heart continues to function at optimal levels during intense physical activity:
Dehydration – too much water loss causes a drop in blood pressure. It is easy to lose too much water through sweat in the hot and humid Malaysian weather. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
Alcohol – drinking alcohol just before a game is not a good idea – it not only impairs your responses, angioplasty, you can resume exercise two to four weeks afterwards.
It is a good idea to take part in a cardiac rehabilitation programme or consider going for a stress test before returning to competitive sports.
“Because you have been unwell and have not been active for a while, you have to start slowly and gradually build up the strength of your heart and stamina of your body. Just use your common sense and listen to your body. Once you feel better, you can go further,” says Dr Aizai.
If you are on medication, take your normal dose before playing sports and be aware of your physical limits during the activity.
If you have any discomfort in your chest, difficulty breathing, or feel nauseous and dizzy during exercise, stop the activity immediately and see your doctor before resuming it.
“There is always some risk involved in vigorous physical activity, even in sports, but as long as you keep within reasonable limits, you will be fine,” says Dr Aizai.
“Overall, the risk of a cardiac complication happening during physical activity is extremely low – less than 0.001%, so don’t let that stop you from exercising.
“Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said ‘If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health’.”