T3
Arrhythmias and Athletes
Arrhythmias are changes in heart rhythm, which may cause the heart to beat too slow, too fast, or in an irregular pattern. Some individuals are more prone to arrhythmias than others.
Athletes, typically considered very healthy, may be at risk for arrhythmias due to the strain of intense physical activity. As a result, some individuals develop “athletes’ heart” and some need to restrict physical activity.
However, the undisputed positive effects of exercise on quality of life and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases should not be overlooked. Personalized exercise recommendations are urgently needed to avoid unnecessary restrictions and reduce the risk of dangerous arrhythmias.
Efforts to optimize risk stratification and treatment for patients vulnerable to ventricular tachyarrhythmias are necessary, including developing tools to incorporate physical exercise data into these considerations.
Other more common arrhythmias can be bothersome and affect quality of life, rather than being life-threatening. For example, healthy athletes, in particular, are at an increased risk of symptomatic atrial fibrillation. There is limited understanding of how to manage these individuals.
ProCardio’s goal is to enhance the quality of care and optimize arrhythmia monitoring and treatment for both athletes and non-athletes with arrhythmias.
Projects
Publications
Pulmonary vein isolation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Cardiac Phenotypes and Markers of Adverse Outcome in Elite Athletes With Ventricular Arrhythmias
T3 Teamleader
Eivind Westrum Aabel
eivindResident cardiologist and Senior researcher; MD, PhD