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I was asked if, as a cardiologist, I would help a runner prepare for the Guinness World Record – 42 marathons in 42 days. I replied that I could only recommend a psychiatric consultation – says prof. Artur Mamcarz.
– Ambition makes us pursue our goals, sometimes at any cost, even at the expense of our own health – says prof. Artur Mamcarz, head of the XNUMXrd Department of Internal Diseases and Cardiology, XNUMXnd Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw. – It is often the case that we aim to finish the marathon first. In the next one, we want to achieve a better time and finally win with a younger colleague. Meanwhile, you have to be aware of your own limitations – he adds. Cardiologists emphasize that physical activity is beneficial for the heart. However, they are not enthusiasts of marathons, because it is too much effort for the heart, especially since many people participate in them without proper preparation.
Preparation for the marathon
Prof. Mamcarz explains that when preparing for a marathon, you need to train for at least three months. It is best to do basic blood tests with cholesterol and sugar levels, EKG and blood pressure. The results of the tests should be consulted with a doctor and informed that we are going to take part in the race. Sometimes cardiac incidents during a marathon are due to heart problems that we were not aware of before (for example, an undetected heart defect). Only such an intense effort can reveal them. Therefore, a good additional test is the heart echo.
Trainings are best conducted under the supervision of experienced trainers, after consulting a doctor. – If without it, for example, we run 20 km a few times a week, our heart may respond to this excessive effort with flickering – says Prof. Łukasz J. Szumowski head of the Department of Heart Rhythm Disorders, Institute of Cardiology in Anin. – The flicker itself is not fatal. But it is known that people suffering from this condition die twice as often. When the atria flicker, they don’t pump blood. Then it flows slower. This retention facilitates the formation of clots. Sometimes its fragment breaks off, which, along with the blood stream, can flow to the cerebral arteriole and cause it to close, leading to a stroke, i.e. necrosis of a part of the brain, explains Prof. Szumowski.
Physiological barrier
Heart problems are most common for marathon runners in the last 15 minutes of a run. This means that the athlete could exceed the physiological load barrier. – That is why you should not break your own records at any cost – says prof. Mamcarz. Certainly, any pain in the area of the sternum must not be ignored. Dehydration is also dangerous for the heart, which leads to a lack of valuable elements, including potassium, which is especially important for the heart. Therefore, the supply of fluids to the sweating body is essential. Ideally, they should be isotonic fluids.
Effects of overexertion
An adult’s heart rate is 70 beats per minute. During exercise, it rises to 180 or even 200. The pressure also rises to 180-230 mm / Hg. Such intense work of the heart muscle – contracting and relaxing – causes its hypertrophy. – Just as our biceps grow from working in the gym, our heart also grows. It can increase by up to 15% or more – explains prof. Mamcarz. Meanwhile, the blood supply vessels are still the same, which means they may not be able to handle a heart that is too big. In addition, an enlarged heart may experience electrical disturbances, resulting in arrhythmias. In athletes, atrial fibrillation is 5-6 times more common.
Cardiological prophylaxis
It doesn’t mean, however, that our heart doesn’t like effort. It needs it, but in moderate quantity. – Cardiological prophylaxis against cardiovascular diseases is exercise lasting from half an hour to 90 minutes, when the heart rate reaches 65 to 85% of the maximum heart rate. It is calculated by subtracting your own age from 220 and then calculating 80%. this value. This will be the optimal heart rate for exercise. For example, if someone is 30 years old, he subtracts 220 from 30 (220-30 = 190). From the result obtained (190), he deducts 80% (190 × 0,8 = 152), which gives us 152. And this is the value of the heart rate recommended during exercise – explains prof. Mamcarz. You have to fund yourself at least three times a week. Of course, it doesn’t hurt every day either. Also, do not forget to warm up. – In addition to preparing the muscles and joints for exercise, it also allows the heart to gradually adapt to the strenuous work. Also, do not stop exercising abruptly. It is worth letting your heart calm down by slowing down at the end – he adds.
Text: Halina Pilonis