Masters athletes: dodging heart attack triggers.

摘要

Masters athletes are competitive athletes in midlife and beyond, many older than 40-50 years, mainly male, with female masters on the rise (1,2). Cardiologists debate how to screen masters for sports; they recommend a careful history and physical examination and suggest a resting electrocardiogram (ECG). For those with moderate-to-high risks of coronary disease, cardiologists recommend exercise testing (1,2). They emphasize educating masters on cardiovascular risks and on self-monitoring for warning signs.Education can include how to dodge heart attacks. Here genes count, as do diet, lifestyle, and common sense. Fitness, too, is protective. About 50% of heart attacks have an identifiable trigger. I cover here common heart attack triggers, with pearls on how to dodge these pitfalls.