Running has always been advocated as one of the best forms of exercise. However, more and more cases of race related cardiac arrests have been making news. A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital tried to investigate whether participating in marathons and half-marathons is really associated with an increased risk of developing cardiac arrest. The results, which have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that participating in marathons and half marathons actually reduces the risk of cardiac arrest. However, the rate of cardiac arrest while participating in such races has increased because men with hypertrophic cardiac myopathy or clogged arteries have also taken up racing in large numbers.
The researchers analyzed the incidence of cardiac arrests during racing in the U.S. between the period of January 1, 2000 and May 31, 2010. The relatives of non survivors were interviewed whereas the medical records of survivors were critically examined. It was seen that 59 men out of a total of 10.9 million runners suffered from a cardiac arrest during racing in between this period. Of the 59 cases, 42 were fatal. The risk of cardiac arrests in male athletes was five times that of female athletes. Similarly, its incidence was more during marathons compared to half marathons. The rate of incidence in the second half of the study was three times that in the earlier half.
On analyzing the results, the researchers concluded that while earlier, only healthy male athletes used to take part in the marathons, nowadays, more and more people who used to live a sedentary life style and have several cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, have started participating in the marathons. Moreover, the number of men taking part in these races is still very much high compared to women. It is these men, who already have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases that are likely to suffer from cardiac arrest while participating in marathons and half marathons. Therefore, it is wrong to blame running for the increased risk of cardiac arrests.
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