Arrhythmogenesis of Sports: Myth or Reality?

Abstract

Regular exercise confers health benefits with cardiovascular mortality risk reduction through a variety of mechanisms. At a population level, evidence suggests that undertaking more exercise has greater benefits. In the modern era of sport, there has been an exponential rise in professional and amateur athletes participating in endurance events, with a progressively better understanding of the associated cardiac adaptations, collectively termed 'athletes heart'. However, emerging data raise questions regarding the risk of potential harm from endurance exercise, with an increased risk of arrhythmia from adverse cardiac remodelling. Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that athletes may exhibit a higher burden of AF, conduction tissue disease, ventricular arrhythmias, a cardiomyopathy-like phenotype and coronary artery disease. In an attempt to separate myth from reality, this review reports on the evidence supporting the notion of 'too much exercise', the purported mechanisms of exercise-induced cardiac arrhythmia and complex interplay with sporting discipline, demographics, genetics and acquired factors.

Keywords: AF; Endurance athlete; coronary artery disease; exercise dose; masters athlete; myocardial fibrosis.

Figure 1:. Characteristics of AF in Masters Athletes (Age >40 years)

Figure 2:. Predictors of Malignant Ventricular Premature Beats in Athletes

Figure 3:. Proposed Mechanisms of Adverse Cardiac Remodelling that May Predispose to Arrhythmias in Endurance Athletes