This is very sad and quite shocking. Very healthy, 37, going for a 2:48 at CIM, has a heart attack just before finishing. No underlying conditions.
From the article: “Aaron, the Army National Guard veteran and disciplined marathon runner, suffered cardiac arrest brought on by rhabdomyolysis. It’s a condition where muscle tissue breaks down from intense physical exertion and releases proteins in the blood. It’s common among endurance athletes and is treatable. The lack of oxygen to his brain has caused neurological issues.â€
I’ve never heard of that condition. I admittedly didn’t read the article but did he have an uncommonly large amount of muscle mass or something to that effect? It seems there’s really no way to predict heart attacks.
Does anyone know if these seemingly healthy people actually show blockages on nuclear stress tests or caths? For ex if my blood values are all in the optimal range is it still possible I’d test positive on a diagnostic cath/imaging test?
I’ve never heard of that condition. I admittedly didn’t read the article but did he have an uncommonly large amount of muscle mass or something to that effect? It seems there’s really no way to predict heart attacks.
Does anyone know if these seemingly healthy people actually show blockages on nuclear stress tests or caths? For ex if my blood values are all in the optimal range is it still possible I’d test positive on a diagnostic cath/imaging test?
We have to be mindful of whether we are discussing a “heart attack” or “cardiac arrest”. Your question seems to be related to “heart attack” risk, but the event we are discussing seems to be a “cardiac arrest” although a heart attack could ultimately become cardiac arrest. The cardiologists here will correct me if I am wrong but I don’t see rabdo triggering a heart attack, but maybe there is a mechanism for severe rabdo to trigger heart failure and cardiac arrest.
I’ve never heard of that condition. I admittedly didn’t read the article but did he have an uncommonly large amount of muscle mass or something to that effect? It seems there’s really no way to predict heart attacks.
Does anyone know if these seemingly healthy people actually show blockages on nuclear stress tests or caths? For ex if my blood values are all in the optimal range is it still possible I’d test positive on a diagnostic cath/imaging test?
We have to be mindful of whether we are discussing a “heart attack” or “cardiac arrest”. Your question seems to be related to “heart attack” risk, but the event we are discussing seems to be a “cardiac arrest” although a heart attack could ultimately become cardiac arrest. The cardiologists here will correct me if I am wrong but I don’t see rabdo triggering a heart attack, but maybe there is a mechanism for severe rabdo to trigger heart failure and cardiac arrest.
I don’t think he had a heart attack. Heart arrhythmias and cardiac arrest can occur with rhabdomyolosis. I believe from the large amounts of potassium released from the necrotic muscle cells.
I’ve never heard of that condition. I admittedly didn’t read the article but did he have an uncommonly large amount of muscle mass or something to that effect? It seems there’s really no way to predict heart attacks.
Does anyone know if these seemingly healthy people actually show blockages on nuclear stress tests or caths? For ex if my blood values are all in the optimal range is it still possible I’d test positive on a diagnostic cath/imaging test?
We have to be mindful of whether we are discussing a “heart attack” or “cardiac arrest”. Your question seems to be related to “heart attack” risk, but the event we are discussing seems to be a “cardiac arrest” although a heart attack could ultimately become cardiac arrest. The cardiologists here will correct me if I am wrong but I don’t see rabdo triggering a heart attack, but maybe there is a mechanism for severe rabdo to trigger heart failure and cardiac arrest.
I don’t think he had a heart attack. Heart arrhythmias and cardiac arrest can occur with rhabdomyolosis. I believe from the large amounts of potassium released from the necrotic muscle cells.
Isn’t rhebdo something you get from not recovery after a race? I didn’t realize it could happen during!
Reading this, I suspect there are many inaccuracies in this story. From a medical perspective, this sounds like someone retelling fourth hand something some nurse said to someone across a hallway.
I’ve never heard of that condition. I admittedly didn’t read the article but did he have an uncommonly large amount of muscle mass or something to that effect? It seems there’s really no way to predict heart attacks.
Does anyone know if these seemingly healthy people actually show blockages on nuclear stress tests or caths? For ex if my blood values are all in the optimal range is it still possible I’d test positive on a diagnostic cath/imaging test?
We have to be mindful of whether we are discussing a “heart attack” or “cardiac arrest”. Your question seems to be related to “heart attack” risk, but the event we are discussing seems to be a “cardiac arrest” although a heart attack could ultimately become cardiac arrest. The cardiologists here will correct me if I am wrong but I don’t see rabdo triggering a heart attack, but maybe there is a mechanism for severe rabdo to trigger heart failure and cardiac arrest.
I don’t think he had a heart attack. Heart arrhythmias and cardiac arrest can occur with rhabdomyolosis. I believe from the large amounts of potassium released from the necrotic muscle cells.
Isn’t rhebdo something you get from not recovery after a race? I didn’t realize it could happen during!
No, it generally happens during the event, as that is when the muscle damage is occurring. You just may not see all the affects until the end of the event or the early recovery period, depending on how it plays out.
Signs of rhabdo would be red urine… I would get it a bit after intense exercise and not having enough fuel… Already being lean my body resorted to muscle for fuel. It has lead to my performance decline from past few years, it’s hard to get over disordered eating
Isn’t rhebdo something you get from not recovery after a race? I didn’t realize it could happen during!
Right - For this to come on so acutely to a well-trained athlete in the span of ~2.5 hrs has to be unheard of. Very interested in hearing more updates (hopefully good ones) about this - The article and news story provided so little about his actual condition and prognosis.