Sports cardiology is a subspecialty within cardiology that addresses both cardiac diseases associated with sports activities and the practice of sports in those who suffer from cardiovascular pathology.
Sports cardiology review: importance of the electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and stress test.
Sporting activity involves stress for the organism which in some cases can be of a very significant magnitude. This is especially important at the beginning of sports training and in subjects who do high-intensity sports. In these circumstances, cardiac diseases that would otherwise go unnoticed can cause problems ranging from a loss of physical performance to the dramatic cases of sudden death that, unfortunately, still occur frequently.
The rise of recreational and popular sport is undoubtedly great news for the health and well-being of the population, but it has led to an increase in these situations, which mostly occur in people who had an asymptomatic underlying heart disease. Most of these disorders can be detected in a cardiological consultation by means of an interview and examination and the performance of an electrocardiogram and echocardiogram: these are the tests that anyone who is considering starting to practice sports should have. From the age of 40 onwards, it is also advisable to have a stress test that can detect early ischemic heart disease problems that could otherwise lead to angina pectoris or even myocardial infarction.
It is very common to see amateur athletes with expensive equipment who have never had even a simple electrocardiogram. A proper medical check-up is certainly a wise investment.
What information do these tests provide?
They can detect heart disease in the asymptomatic phase: this is fundamental both for initiating early treatment when necessary, and above all for the prevention of sudden death of the athlete. If a heart disease is detected, we can advise on the most appropriate type of activity, adapting it to the situation of each individual. It should be noted that it is rarely necessary to recommend the absolute cessation of the practice.
Many heart diseases benefit from doing sport, but this must be adapted, regulated and supervised by a cardiologist. In addition, the tests help us to establish our physical condition, heart rate during exercise and other useful parameters to face our sport, improve performance, and monitor our progress.
How do sports practice condition the results and how should the patient adapt?
Most people who undergo a cardiological check-up do not show any signs of heart disease, so they can practice sports without restrictions. In these cases we advise a progressive exercise plan based on the findings of the tests, which we try to adapt to the conditions and preferences of each person. It is always advisable that the exercise be progressive, rewarding, as much fun as possible and, most importantly, that it does not take time away from our rest hours.
Increased heart rate, or beats per minute when exercising
In general, the boom in the practice of sports has led to the use of heart rate monitors and concern for heart rate. Beats per minute are a highly variable parameter, so that, for the same level of exercise, they can be quite different from one person to another, so they must be given a relative value.
However, a sudden increase in heart rate may be indicative of some kind of disorder, as may persistently high heart rates several minutes after the end of exercise. If any of these circumstances occur, and especially if they are associated with dizziness, malaise, or palpitations, it is advisable to consult a cardiologist.