M
Marge
Maybe not directly on topic, but I thought this recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle might be of interest, especially in light of recent thread mentioning the death of Power Bar inventor/world class marathoner Brian Maxwell.
This is an excerpt. The complete article is at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/03/28/MNG1A5SKTC1.DTL
<< ... Sudden deaths of older athletes may be tied to exercise
Carl T. Hall, Chronicle Science Writer
Sunday, March 28, 2004
By all accounts, Brian Maxwell was one of the last people anybody might predict would end up among the 1,000 people in the United States who succumb every day to sudden cardiac death.
Maxwell, one of UC Berkeley's most prominent alumni, was a track star and coach at Cal in the 1970s, a world-ranked marathon runner who remained devoted to exercise and good health throughout his high-powered adult life.
[...]
Only 51, he collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack on March 19 in San Anselmo. [...] Now, as UC Berkeley prepares for a public memorial Friday at noon, Maxwell's death is being portrayed as particularly shocking evidence that even the healthiest people are not immune to undetected heart problems.
[...]
There is still no practical way to detect all the subtle forms of heart defects, especially in seemingly healthy trained athletes, in time to do something.
[...]
One of the more intriguing areas of research concentrates on the chain reaction of potent biochemicals released by vigorous exercise.
Plenty of evidence suggests that moderate exercise -- regular walking, for instance -- can protect against heart disease. At the same time, there is evidence that intense workouts can produce dangerous molecular byproducts in the bloodstream that are linked to heart damage in some people.
"There's a small number of people who are susceptible," said Dr. Prentice Steffen, assistant medical director of the emergency department at St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco.
"For them, it would be better if they didn't exercise at all and just watched TV and stayed on the couch. For the vast majority of the population, it's obviously better to exercise, but right now there is not any cost- effective way to screen" for those individuals who might be at risk, he said. >>
This is an excerpt. The complete article is at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/03/28/MNG1A5SKTC1.DTL
<< ... Sudden deaths of older athletes may be tied to exercise
Carl T. Hall, Chronicle Science Writer
Sunday, March 28, 2004
By all accounts, Brian Maxwell was one of the last people anybody might predict would end up among the 1,000 people in the United States who succumb every day to sudden cardiac death.
Maxwell, one of UC Berkeley's most prominent alumni, was a track star and coach at Cal in the 1970s, a world-ranked marathon runner who remained devoted to exercise and good health throughout his high-powered adult life.
[...]
Only 51, he collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack on March 19 in San Anselmo. [...] Now, as UC Berkeley prepares for a public memorial Friday at noon, Maxwell's death is being portrayed as particularly shocking evidence that even the healthiest people are not immune to undetected heart problems.
[...]
There is still no practical way to detect all the subtle forms of heart defects, especially in seemingly healthy trained athletes, in time to do something.
[...]
One of the more intriguing areas of research concentrates on the chain reaction of potent biochemicals released by vigorous exercise.
Plenty of evidence suggests that moderate exercise -- regular walking, for instance -- can protect against heart disease. At the same time, there is evidence that intense workouts can produce dangerous molecular byproducts in the bloodstream that are linked to heart damage in some people.
"There's a small number of people who are susceptible," said Dr. Prentice Steffen, assistant medical director of the emergency department at St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco.
"For them, it would be better if they didn't exercise at all and just watched TV and stayed on the couch. For the vast majority of the population, it's obviously better to exercise, but right now there is not any cost- effective way to screen" for those individuals who might be at risk, he said. >>
