Understanding coronary artery disease in older athletes

Chronic endurance exercise in male master athletes: The relationship between cumulative exercise dose and coronary atherosclerosis and the interplay with blood pressure profile and dietary habits (Dr Gemma Parry-Williams)

Coronary artery disease is the build-up of fatty material, also called atherosclerosis, in the vessels that supply the heart with blood. Some athletes, usually considered at low-risk for heart disease, can still develop more coronary artery disease and show more evidence of silent heart attacks than healthy people who exercise in moderation. Why are they more at risk? The fellow working in is studying 220 healthy male endurance athletes aged 40-65 years of age. They will be assessed with a variety of tests to understand their heart function and risk factors. This includes a questionnaire about diet and lifestyle, routine blood tests to measure sugar and cholesterol levels, scans of the heart’s function, an exercise test and 24-hour heart rhythm and blood pressure monitoring. The goal is to understand the relationship between years of endurance exercise and the development of atherosclerosis. Professor Sharma expects that endurance athletes who have done the most exercise over many years will have a higher number of plaques in their coronary arteries. The team believe this could be down to high exercise and resting blood pressure profiles and pro-inflammatory diets. Being able to confirm that these factors contribute to the development of coronary artery disease in athletes will provide guidance for doctors when advising about the potential risks of endurance exercise, allowing most older athletes to safely pursue their sporting endeavours.