Posted by hans koster on August 12, 2001 at 06:43:46:
In Reply to: Re: More on Chronic Lone AF and the Maze Operation posted by steve giddings on August 05, 2001 at 19:09:11:
Steve,thanks for your clear story.Coincidently there was an article in the dutch yournal of medicine two months ago about endurance sports and atrial fibrillation.The article suggested a relation between those two.Arguments:
-the incidence of atrial fibrillation with young endurance sportes (0.2%)is a little bit more than the average.
-endurance sports makes circumstances which can induce rhythm problems:
-lower SNR
-enlarging sensitivity of the atria by a
shortening of the duration of the electric
excitation and refractory period
-bigger flow gives an bigger elastic load and
probably because of that a bigger atrium and a
bigger atrium gives more chance of re-entry and
atrial fibrillation
-changes of concentration of electrolytes
(not uncommon with endurance sports) can
influence the electrofysiological quality of the
heart (which can cause paroxysmal atrial
fibrillation)
-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation of longer
duration can give electrofysiological and
structural changes in the atria which can lead to
chronic atrial fibrillation
Conclusion(of the writer of the article,ex world champion speed-skating,Harm Kuipers,who is a professor in sports medicin now):
"For some sporters chronic atrial fibrillation can be a late consequence of longterm,intensive endurance sports,although there seems to be a certain predisposition."
Mind:there is a suggestion that it could be that way,there is still no proof!