Why some fit athletes have clogged arteries
Alterations in the autonomic and haemodynamic response to prolonged high‐intensity endurance exercise in individuals with coronary artery calcification
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Even super-fit athletes can have hidden artery plaque. This study found those with plaque work their hearts harder during intense biking and recover less well.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
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Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Even super-fit athletes can have hidden artery plaque. This study found those with plaque work their hearts harder during intense biking and recover less well.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 548 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Svane J, Wiktorski T, Eftestøl T, Ørn S
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Claims (6)
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.
The bigger the rise in the bottom number of blood pressure (diastolic) during a hard race, the more likely an athlete is to have early heart artery plaque—even if their resting blood pressure is normal.
Athletes with early signs of heart artery plaque experience much higher blood pressure when pushing hard during a long bike race than athletes without plaque, meaning their hearts and blood vessels are under more strain.
When athletes with early heart artery plaque stop a hard race, their heart rate doesn’t adjust as smoothly as those without plaque, suggesting their body’s automatic control system for heart rate and blood pressure isn’t working as well.
Athletes with early heart artery plaque put more strain on their hearts during intense exercise, as shown by a higher number that combines heart rate and blood pressure—meaning their hearts are working harder than those without plaque.