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Wearable-Derived Training Load and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Middle-Aged and Older Athletes and Physically Active Controls: A New Perspective From the Master@Heart Study.
Exercise Volume Versus Intensity and the Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Middle-Aged and Older Athletes: Findings From the MARC-2 Study
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High-intensity endurance exercise, when accumulated over long durations, is associated with a significantly increased prevalence of coronary artery plaque, an association not detected using self-reported exercise metrics.
High-volume, high-intensity endurance exercise increases coronary artery plaque burden without increasing all-cause or cardiovascular mortality risk in otherwise healthy individuals.
People who train hard and regularly for endurance sports are less likely to have dangerous, unstable plaque in their heart arteries that could suddenly cause a heart attack.
Men who have exercised very intensely and for many years are more likely to have calcium deposits and plaque in their heart arteries than those who exercised less, even though they tend to live longer.
Chronic high-volume endurance exercise is associated with the development of calcified coronary artery plaque, which is biomechanically more stable and less prone to rupture than non-calcified or mixed plaque.
More Exercise, More Plaque?
Dr Brad Stanfield