JJ Deja Vu
05-26-2008, 03:36 AM
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Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: Jul 2006
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JJ Deja Vu
I came across the following article and wanted to pass it along, it is obviously written with cyclists in mind, but certainly is applicable to any of us in this business (or any other). I'm sure JJ would agree.
The article is a little long, but well worth the read, and sobering.....
Coronary Considerations
We all ride lots, we eat nutritiously, we try to keep body weight down, and we feel and look pretty fit.
But that doesn't guarantee we have healthy hearts.
Example 1: Champion cyclist Joe Saling of New Jersey suffered a heart attack after finishing a criterium. He was 63 and had been competing for decades. He never dreamed he could have a blocked artery. Emergency surgery saved his life and he was able to race again.
Example 2: Cycling physiologist Ed Burke of Colorado knew he had a family history of heart disease. Still he became a midlife convert to tough events such as Iditabike and the Leadville 100. He developed classic warning signs of heart trouble, but did not act on them. He suffered a fatal heart attack at age 53 on a noon ride.
Example 3: Much-admired bike shop owner John Cuchessi died of an apparent heart attack last Sunday during a club ride near San Clemente, California. Cuchessi, called an "exceptional cyclist," suddenly veered from the road. Two nurses performed CPR until an ambulance arrived, but paramedics were unable to revive him. He was 54.
Charles Hall isn't nearly as well known in cycling as those 3 men. He's just a fit 50-year-old recreational rider in Madison, Alabama -- 5-foot-10 and a lean 160 pounds, working as a computer systems engineer. He'd read about Ed Burke on the Your Turn pages of the RBR website. Interesting, sad, but not pertinent, Hall thought.
Then something profound happened to Hall to make Burke's death very relevant. He opened up to RBR with a story he's allowing us to share. His life was saved. Others could be too.
The Heart of the Matter
By Charles Hall
I read your website's information on coronary artery disease a while back. I didn't think it applied to me. I was wrong.
About 3 weeks ago, I experienced moderate chest discomfort 5 minutes into a planned 30-mile ride. It didn't match the descriptions I remembered of heart problems, and after I eased up for about 15 minutes the pain went away and didn't return.
Two days later I had an exact repeat. Then again a couple of days after that. I went to my doctor, who thought it was nothing serious but scheduled a precautionary stress test. I had just passed my 50th birthday.
The stressed portion of the test went smoothly. My instructions were to keep going until I couldn't take another step, but the technicians weren't interested in my offer to go for a record so we quit after several speed/resistance increases. I had very mild chest discomfort mid-test, but my pulse, blood pressure and EKG were all fine.
That was a Friday. I was cleared to ride during the weekend and told to return Monday for the resting portion of the test.
Saturday's ride was a 50-mile (80-km) non-stop solo, and while I had more frequent chest discomfort, the intensity wasn't any greater than before.
Monday, everything changed.
After the stress test's resting portion, I was warned that my myocardiogram indicated irregularities and I should see a cardiologist. About an hour later I got the first big surprise.
The test, which included the injection of a tracer and electronic imaging to determine my heart's blood uptake, indicated reduced flow to the area supplied by the left anterior descending artery -- one of the 3 arteries supplying the heart.
The cardiologist expressed shock that I would have this condition. He said I could pay now with a heart catheterization or pay 4-5 months later with a heart attack. Based on the scan and my lack of symptoms, he estimated 70% arterial blockage.
A catheterization would show the exact location and extent of blockage. I had it on Thursday. The surprises continued. I was 99% blocked high in the LAD artery.
My lack of symptoms was explained by the excess heart capacity I'd built through years of cycling. It also meant that a lethal heart attack was probably going to be my first serious symptom.
A coronary stent was successfully placed to open the blockage, and I've been approved to return to riding in two weeks. There were no indications of heart damage. Given that I've been living on greatly reduced coronary blood flow, I've been told that my cycling performance should be better than it has been for some time.
I had all the body weight, blood pressure, diet and exercise factors on my side. I had no risk factors except for the one discovered in the blood work-ups during this incident: cholesterol. Without this lab work I never would have known.
My cholesterol level is two times higher than what's considered good health. In my case this is blamed on an inherited tendency, so reduction will have to come mainly through medication. There aren't huge diet or lifestyle improvements I can make.
Several things played a role in my survival. A big one was cycling. The same activity that made me fit enough to survive the ignorance of my high cholesterol also eventually gave me the warning signs to take action.
Looking back, during the second half of last year I lost enthusiasm for riding. It just became too hard, and I put it down to a busy personal schedule. After 3 months off the bike, I knew in January I needed to get started again. It was still hard, which I attributed to the layoff. Now I see this all in a new light.
My message? Biking is a good and healthful activity. We all know that. But just like you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge an athlete's coronary health by the way he or she looks. Check the inside stuff. And by all means pay attention to what your body is saying when you ride.
The article is a little long, but well worth the read, and sobering.....
Coronary Considerations
We all ride lots, we eat nutritiously, we try to keep body weight down, and we feel and look pretty fit.
But that doesn't guarantee we have healthy hearts.
Example 1: Champion cyclist Joe Saling of New Jersey suffered a heart attack after finishing a criterium. He was 63 and had been competing for decades. He never dreamed he could have a blocked artery. Emergency surgery saved his life and he was able to race again.
Example 2: Cycling physiologist Ed Burke of Colorado knew he had a family history of heart disease. Still he became a midlife convert to tough events such as Iditabike and the Leadville 100. He developed classic warning signs of heart trouble, but did not act on them. He suffered a fatal heart attack at age 53 on a noon ride.
Example 3: Much-admired bike shop owner John Cuchessi died of an apparent heart attack last Sunday during a club ride near San Clemente, California. Cuchessi, called an "exceptional cyclist," suddenly veered from the road. Two nurses performed CPR until an ambulance arrived, but paramedics were unable to revive him. He was 54.
Charles Hall isn't nearly as well known in cycling as those 3 men. He's just a fit 50-year-old recreational rider in Madison, Alabama -- 5-foot-10 and a lean 160 pounds, working as a computer systems engineer. He'd read about Ed Burke on the Your Turn pages of the RBR website. Interesting, sad, but not pertinent, Hall thought.
Then something profound happened to Hall to make Burke's death very relevant. He opened up to RBR with a story he's allowing us to share. His life was saved. Others could be too.
The Heart of the Matter
By Charles Hall
I read your website's information on coronary artery disease a while back. I didn't think it applied to me. I was wrong.
About 3 weeks ago, I experienced moderate chest discomfort 5 minutes into a planned 30-mile ride. It didn't match the descriptions I remembered of heart problems, and after I eased up for about 15 minutes the pain went away and didn't return.
Two days later I had an exact repeat. Then again a couple of days after that. I went to my doctor, who thought it was nothing serious but scheduled a precautionary stress test. I had just passed my 50th birthday.
The stressed portion of the test went smoothly. My instructions were to keep going until I couldn't take another step, but the technicians weren't interested in my offer to go for a record so we quit after several speed/resistance increases. I had very mild chest discomfort mid-test, but my pulse, blood pressure and EKG were all fine.
That was a Friday. I was cleared to ride during the weekend and told to return Monday for the resting portion of the test.
Saturday's ride was a 50-mile (80-km) non-stop solo, and while I had more frequent chest discomfort, the intensity wasn't any greater than before.
Monday, everything changed.
After the stress test's resting portion, I was warned that my myocardiogram indicated irregularities and I should see a cardiologist. About an hour later I got the first big surprise.
The test, which included the injection of a tracer and electronic imaging to determine my heart's blood uptake, indicated reduced flow to the area supplied by the left anterior descending artery -- one of the 3 arteries supplying the heart.
The cardiologist expressed shock that I would have this condition. He said I could pay now with a heart catheterization or pay 4-5 months later with a heart attack. Based on the scan and my lack of symptoms, he estimated 70% arterial blockage.
A catheterization would show the exact location and extent of blockage. I had it on Thursday. The surprises continued. I was 99% blocked high in the LAD artery.
My lack of symptoms was explained by the excess heart capacity I'd built through years of cycling. It also meant that a lethal heart attack was probably going to be my first serious symptom.
A coronary stent was successfully placed to open the blockage, and I've been approved to return to riding in two weeks. There were no indications of heart damage. Given that I've been living on greatly reduced coronary blood flow, I've been told that my cycling performance should be better than it has been for some time.
I had all the body weight, blood pressure, diet and exercise factors on my side. I had no risk factors except for the one discovered in the blood work-ups during this incident: cholesterol. Without this lab work I never would have known.
My cholesterol level is two times higher than what's considered good health. In my case this is blamed on an inherited tendency, so reduction will have to come mainly through medication. There aren't huge diet or lifestyle improvements I can make.
Several things played a role in my survival. A big one was cycling. The same activity that made me fit enough to survive the ignorance of my high cholesterol also eventually gave me the warning signs to take action.
Looking back, during the second half of last year I lost enthusiasm for riding. It just became too hard, and I put it down to a busy personal schedule. After 3 months off the bike, I knew in January I needed to get started again. It was still hard, which I attributed to the layoff. Now I see this all in a new light.
My message? Biking is a good and healthful activity. We all know that. But just like you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge an athlete's coronary health by the way he or she looks. Check the inside stuff. And by all means pay attention to what your body is saying when you ride.
05-26-2008, 07:17 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Retired
Posts: 3,717
Toccata,
Thanks for sharing. It is a good read and exactly correct. For those of us overweight, or with any hereditary history of heart disease in your family, do yourself (and your loved ones) a big favor and get yourself checked out. As well, lose that extra weight. No matter how good you look or feel, you can't beat heredity.
To all, a healthy and happy Memorial Day, and let's take a moment in remembrance of those who have served and those who died for this great country.
JJ
Thanks for sharing. It is a good read and exactly correct. For those of us overweight, or with any hereditary history of heart disease in your family, do yourself (and your loved ones) a big favor and get yourself checked out. As well, lose that extra weight. No matter how good you look or feel, you can't beat heredity.
To all, a healthy and happy Memorial Day, and let's take a moment in remembrance of those who have served and those who died for this great country.
JJ
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