Good news for marathoners
Participation in marathon and half-marathon races is at an all-time high, but numerous reports of race-related cardiac arrests have called the safety of this activity into question. A new study finds that participating in these races actually is associated with a relatively low risk of cardiac arrest, compared with other forms of athletics. An analysis of 10 years of data, appearing in the Jan. 12 New England Journal of Medicine, reveals that most of those experiencing cardiac arrest during marathons and half-marathons had undiagnosed, pre-existing cardiac abnormalities. Male marathon participants accounted for most cardiac arrests and appear to be at increased risk. The study also identifies bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as a key factor in patient survival. “This study provides the first accurate, comprehensive characterization of cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death risk in this population,” says Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Medicine Aaron Baggish, who is director of the Cardiovascular Performance...