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Does marathon running damage the heart? - an update

  • Since the legend of the ancient Marathon run, the risk of endurance exercise-induced cardiovascular damage or sudden cardiac death is discussed. In recent studies, the exercise-induced increases in cardiac biomarkers in endurance athletes as well as acute alterations in cardiac function and cardiovascular abnormalities have been reported. As elevations of the cardiac biomarkers troponin and BM) have been observed frequently for the vast majority of athletes after Marathon runs or strenuous exercise bouts followed by a decrease within a short period, a physiological reaction rather than a pathologicial cause is presumed. Also a transient decrease of cardiac function demonstrated by newer echocardiographic techniques (tissue Doppler or speckle tracking imaging, 3D echocardiography) after strenuous exercise often termed "cardiac fatigue" should not be considered necessarily as pathologic, as cardiac function also depends on hemodynamic load and heart rate. Furthermore, exercise-induced changes in cardiac function did not correlate withSince the legend of the ancient Marathon run, the risk of endurance exercise-induced cardiovascular damage or sudden cardiac death is discussed. In recent studies, the exercise-induced increases in cardiac biomarkers in endurance athletes as well as acute alterations in cardiac function and cardiovascular abnormalities have been reported. As elevations of the cardiac biomarkers troponin and BM) have been observed frequently for the vast majority of athletes after Marathon runs or strenuous exercise bouts followed by a decrease within a short period, a physiological reaction rather than a pathologicial cause is presumed. Also a transient decrease of cardiac function demonstrated by newer echocardiographic techniques (tissue Doppler or speckle tracking imaging, 3D echocardiography) after strenuous exercise often termed "cardiac fatigue" should not be considered necessarily as pathologic, as cardiac function also depends on hemodynamic load and heart rate. Furthermore, exercise-induced changes in cardiac function did not correlate with exercise-induced increases in cardiac biomarkers in most studies. The functional cardiac alterations can also be detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after Marathon runs. However, no signs of acute or chronic myocardial damage have been demonstrated in MRI studies in cardiovascular healthy athletes after running a Marathon, although especially in older athletes undetected cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease or myocardial necrosis or fibrosis can be present. hi conclusion, according to recent studies. there seems to be a lack of evidence to support endurance exercise-induced cardiac damage in the healthy heart which is adapted tostrenous exercise by regular endurance training. Nevertheless, as running a Marathon results in a high cardiac load, a sufficient endurance training period as well as a preparticipation or regular medical screening to exclude relevant congenital or aquired cardiovascular diseases is recommended from a sports cardiology perspective to exclude relevant congenital or acquired cardiovascular diseasesshow moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author details:Jürgen Scharhag, F. Knebel, Frank MayerORCiDGND, Wilfried Kindermann
ISSN:0344-5925
Title of parent work (German):Deutsche Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin : offizielles Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Sportmedizin und Prävention (Deutscher Sportärztebund) e.V. (DGSP) und Weiterbildungsorgan der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Sportmedizin und Prävention
Publisher:WWF-Verl.-Ges.
Place of publishing:Greven
Publication type:Review
Language:German
Year of first publication:2011
Publication year:2011
Release date:2017/03/26
Tag:Marathon; athlete's heart; cardiac biomarkers; cardiac fatigue; endurance exercise
Volume:62
Issue:9
Number of pages:6
First page:293
Last Page:298
Organizational units:Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Kognitionswissenschaften / Department Sport- und Gesundheitswissenschaften
Peer review:Referiert
Institution name at the time of the publication:Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Sportwissenschaft
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