Atrial Fibrillation in Athletes - The Story Behind The Running Hearts

摘要

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered arrhythmia in clinical practice but the mechanisms underlying the initiation and maintenance of AF are yet to be clarified. It is well-known that regular exercise is beneficial to health and reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases. However, recent studies suggest that long-term endurance exercise, including running [1] , swimming, rowing [2] and cycling [3] , or vigorous competitive sports may increase the incidence of AF in these athletes. This review article is intended to provide a summary of the possible links between exercise and AF.