Humana Health Watch Transcript Archive

November 15

Exercise and Sudden Death

Weekend warriors take heed—new information suggests that sporadic workouts may be hazardous to your health ... but other information shows that regular exercise could help protect you.

You might say that exercise can be a two edged sword. In rare instances sporadic workouts can trigger sudden death in people with usually unknown risk factors, but regular conditioning can help strengthen the heart as well.

In a study presented at this week’s American Heart Association meeting, researchers studied health club members and the frequency of their workouts. During the study 69 members died of either a heart attack or stroke out of a total of 182.3 million workouts. Thirty-four, or almost half, the deaths occurred in people who exercised less than once a week. The average age of those who died was about 52 years old.

In another study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers surveyed more than 12 thousand men about their exercise habits then followed them for 12 years. They found that though the risk of sudden death was very low—1 sudden death per 1.5 million workouts—the risk was increased during episodes of vigorous exercise. But that increase was significantly reduced in the men who exercised on a regular basis.

It seems that the benefits of regular exercise far outweigh the risks, but if you haven’t been exercising lately, it’s a good idea to start out slowly. And, as always, talk to your doctor about what’ s most appropriate for you.

Are we mostly talking about middle aged folks or does this pertain to young people as well?

These studies focused on people who were most at risk for coronary artery disease, or blocked arteries. Strenuous exercise for people with structural problems with the heart, presumably like the young athletes who have died, should be avoided.

Resources and References:

Triggering of Sudden Death from Cardiac Causes by Vigorous Exertion
The New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;343:1355-1361

American Heart Association
americanheart.org/

November 15
Exercise and Sudden Death
	Weekend warriors take heed—new information suggests that sporadic workouts may be hazardous to your health ... but other information shows that regular exercise could help protect you. You might say that exercise can be a two edged sword. In rare instances sporadic workouts can trigger sudden death in people with usually unknown risk factors, but regular conditioning can help strengthen the heart as well. In a study presented at this week’s American Heart Association meeting, researchers studied health club members and the frequency of their workouts. During the study 69 members died of either a heart attack or stroke out of a total of 182.3 million workouts. Thirty-four, or almost half, the deaths occurred in people who exercised less than once a week. The average age of those who died was about 52 years old. In another study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers surveyed more than 12 thousand men about their exercise habits then followed them for 12 years. They found that though the risk of sudden death was very low—1 sudden death per 1.5 million workouts—the risk was increased during episodes of vigorous exercise. But that increase was significantly reduced in the men who exercised on a regular basis. It seems that the benefits of regular exercise far outweigh the risks, but if you haven’t been exercising lately, it’s a good idea to start out slowly. And, as always, talk to your doctor about what’ s most appropriate for you.

	Are we mostly talking about middle aged folks or does this pertain to young people as well? These studies focused on people who were most at risk for coronary artery disease, or blocked arteries. Strenuous exercise for people with structural problems with the heart, presumably like the young athletes who have died, should be avoided.
	Resources and References: Triggering of Sudden Death from Cardiac Causes by Vigorous Exertion The New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;343:1355-1361 American Heart Association americanheart.org/