Cardiac Anomalies - is something going on or is this normal?

[danielovichdk2]

Heart issues is a challenge in pretty much every elite sport existing. Some evidence exists.

Eg. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/42/28/2737/6179516?login=false

Don't buy the drug story one bit. I believe the strain on the ticker over time is a more valid point.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Chris Froome on the after-effects of Covid on the heart:

Froome highlighted what he saw as a cardiovascular hit from COVID-19, which he felt also extended to other "strange" heart problems. Pericarditis has been identified as a potential post-COVID heart issue, with Tim Declercq, Lizzy Banks and Maghalie Rochette among those having to take time away from racing.

"There's definitely a heavy impact on the heart, having COVID. It's not just like having the flu, like a lot of people think, especially for pro riders," Froome said.

"From those I've spoken to within the peloton, a lot of guys are really struggling with after-effects two or three months down the line - feeling fatigue, feeling as if they don't have the same energy levels, strange heart rate readings as well."

He's not actually saying that he himself was diagnosed with Pericarditis. Nor has Maghalie Rochette identified heart issues as the cause of her fatigue.

In terms of riders we know have suffered diagnosed heart complaints related to Covid in the last three years. we still only know of fewer than a dozen cases at WT level and no more than five cases in the women's peloton.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Chris Froome on the after-effects of Covid on the heart:He's not actually saying that he himself was diagnosed with Pericarditis.

but if he was riding with it, pericarditis hurts a lot and I wouldn’t want to start feeling it while I’m exercising.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Interesting Twitter thread debunking claims that more athletes are dying of cardiac-related issues today than pre-Covid.

Not interesting just for the debunking of yet another Covid nutjob which is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1611017974072098818

View: https://twitter.com/Doctor_Eric_B/status/1611017974072098818

 

[fmk_RoI]

Forbes have also joined the debunking, after Fox News ran with the claim

So, let’s get this straight. Carlson made claims based on a Letter to the Editor that made claims based on an anonymous blog that made claims based on a list that hasn’t even been really tracking what it has claimed that it’s been tracking. That doesn’t exactly seem like the Sounds of Science. And none of it seems like “Good Sciencing” at all.

Specifically within cycling, there does seem to be a small but noticeable increase in the number of cardiac-related illnesses since Covid started - less than some predicted was likely to be the case, and less severe too, with riders generally side-lined only briefly. That, of course, comes with the caveat that both Declercq and Froome seem to be suggesting that the actual number of cases has been underreported.

In terms of deaths, I'm only aware of three cardiac-related cycling deaths in the three years 2020-2022, none of which were road pros.

 

[fmk_RoI]

I raised the issue of thyroid meds here in 2018. Some reports were noting the possible cardiac issues that could arise. The UCI was aware of the issue, with a couple of feds calling on them to get WADA to act on the issue.

Today : "A number of cyclists have informed WielerFlits that the thyroid hormone Thyrax is currently being used by some teams and riders at the highest level. The drug is (still) not on the banned list of the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA, but may not be prescribed by doctors without medical necessity. "

Around the opening weekend in Flanders, a number of cyclists contacted WielerFlits to indicate that they are aware that Thyrax is being used in the peloton today. There is no direct reference to teams or riders, but it is explicitly stated that several riders at the highest level use the substance during training courses in the run-up to important competitions. “It will make you fly”, emphasizes a rider.

Another says that Thyrax is a kind of super gasoline: “This product makes it easy to lose a few kilograms and you can therefore eat more. Normally body loss means less power. With Thyrax you actually get more wattages per kilogram.”

It is therefore a means by which you indirectly actually cycle faster because it promotes weight loss. When you are lighter as a cyclist, the power per kilogram becomes better (with the same power). And that certainly has an impact specifically for cycling.

The relevance to this thread?

Moorman warns: “It is good that attention is being paid to the abuse of Thyrax, because an excess of thyroid hormones is certainly not safe and has side effects such as a strongly increased heart rate (and the risk of sudden death), accelerated bone breakdown, an increased body temperature and diarrhoea.”

This is not to say that all or even any of the cardiac cases in the last five years or so are directly related to this issue. Other excuses are available. Etc etc.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Thyrax is a brand name for Levothroid (Levothyroxine)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1636791742073536523

View: https://twitter.com/IzdSammy/status/1636791742073536523

 

[Nick2413]

I raised the issue of thyroid meds here in 2018. Some reports were noting the possible cardiac issues that could arise. The UCI was aware of the issue, with a couple of feds calling on them to get WADA to act on the issue.

Today : "A number of cyclists have informed WielerFlits that the thyroid hormone Thyrax is currently being used by some teams and riders at the highest level. The drug is (still) not on the banned list of the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA, but may not be prescribed by doctors without medical necessity. "



The relevance to this thread?This is not to say that all or even any of the cardiac cases in the last five years or so are directly related to this issue. Other excuses are available. Etc etc.

Basically the same stuff Salazar had Rupp using? Seems there’s too many TUE loopholes. Would love to see what percent of cyclists have hypothyroidism compared to the general population.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Seems there’s too many TUE loopholes

Really? TUEs?

 

[Nick2413]

Really? TUEs?

Isn’t that what is meant by “not on the banned list but may not be prescribed unless medically necessary?” Are you denying TUEs are abused in pro sport?

 

[fmk_RoI]

Are you denying TUEs are abused in pro sport?

Are you saying TUEs are needed for thyroid meds?

 

[Netserk]

Isn’t that what is meant by “not on the banned list but may not be prescribed unless medically necessary?” Are you denying TUEs are abused in pro sport?

TUEs are only needed for medicine that is on the forbidden list.

 

[Nick2413]

Are you saying TUEs are needed for thyroid meds?

Prescriptions are. I’ll rephrase. “Seems there’s too many TUE/RX loopholes.” I actually did believe some thyroid meds are banned, even if this one is not. So it’s time to get them banned probably, but the point is you can get a prescription for just about anything.

 

[fmk_RoI]

“Seems there’s too many TUE/RX loopholes.”

It's not a loophole. It's simply not banned.

 

[zlev11]

Thyrax is a brand name for Levothroid (Levothyroxine)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1636791742073536523

View: https://twitter.com/IzdSammy/status/1636791742073536523

does anyone have a link to the english version of the puerto files?

 

[Rob5091]

"the abuse of Thyrax, because an excess of thyroid hormones is certainly not safe and has side effects such as a strongly increased heart rate (and the risk of sudden death), accelerated bone breakdown, an increased body temperature and diarrhoea.”
Does that possibly explain all the "stomach problems" going around the Giro peloton?

 

[Rob5091]

Back in the 90's in Sweden, we had deaths amongst orienteering pros, https://www.semanticscholar.org/pap...rsen/ee75db41ef293cabaa1eb27f8826845b6e022383
"In 1991 the Swedish Orienteering Movement raised the alarm after the death of three elite runners during the same year. From 1979 to 1992 there had been 16 (15 male) cases of sudden unexpected cardiac death (SUCD) among Swedish orienteers between the age of 18 to 34 years."
" Initial studies suggested that the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae (TWAR) was involved, but new results published in a thesis by Lars Wesslen, University of Uppsala, strongly indicate that Bartonella is the responsible pathogen. Orienteers differ from other athletes in having an intimate contact to nature and zoonotic microorganisms were therefore obvious candidates." Tics in other words.
more at https://vk.com/wall-40750264_4317?lang=en

 

[Aimar16]

Van Hooydonck had a suspected heart attack while driving - https://sporza.be/nl/2023/09/12/wie...k-gereanimeerd-na-auto-ongeval~1694515856392/

 

[Netserk]

Thanks to @fmk_RoI's systematic overview, it seems like the cardiac arrests of pro cyclists are all from Benelux.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Thanks to @fmk_RoI's systematic overview, it seems like the cardiac arrests of pro cyclists are all from Benelux.

Sonny Colbrelli is from Benelux?

Recent fatal cases may predominantly (but not exclusively) be Benelux in origin but given the small number involved I'd be careful reading too much into that.

 

[Netserk]

Sonny Colbrelli is from Benelux?

Recent fatal cases may predominantly (but not exclusively) be Benelux in origin but given the small number involved I'd be careful reading too much into that.

I went with the distinction of the OP between cardiac arrests and cardiac arrhythmia.

I noted what seemed to be a geographic pattern (and carefully phrased it like that), I didn't read anything in to it. First step is to see whether such a pattern really holds.

 

[fmk_RoI]

I noted what seemed to be a geographic pattern (and carefully phrased it like that),

With all due respect, your phrasing was f-cking careless given searching the phrase cardiac arrest in the OP shows more than Benelux cases in recent fatalities.

Saying you didn't read anything into it is just so weasly. Of course you were reading something into it, otherwise you wouldn't have felt the need to point it out. MTFU and admit that much.

Given you didn't do the count properly, the pattern doesn't hold. Find some other dots to join.

 

[Netserk]

With all due respect, your phrasing was f-cking careless given searching the phrase cardiac arrest in the OP shows more than Benelux cases in recent fatalities.

Saying you didn't read anything into it is just so weasly. Of course you were reading something into it, otherwise you wouldn't have felt the need to point it out. MTFU and admit that much.

Given you didn't do the count properly, the pattern doesn't hold. Find some other dots to join.

So you admit that Colbrelli didn't have a cardiac arrest? Why then did you mention him?

I'll see if you can spot your own additional mistakes.

 

[laarsland]

Just re: pericarditis. Single data point, anecdotal evidence and that, but still. I ride about 450-500 hours a year and after having Covid last fall which lead to a month of heart arythmia afterwards, this spring I was diagnosed with pericarditis after probably having it recurrently for several months. Obviously I'm paniagua.

Will be interesting in due time to see what studies will say about impact of Covid/vaccines on these types of problems in athletes (and us mere exercising mortals).

 

[staubsauger]

Michael Goolaerts died in 2018. That was before either Covid-19 or the mRNA-vaccination. So I'm not fully convinced that is the main influence towards the heart diseases in cycling lately.

Of course @Netserk drew the similarity to the cases of Draaijer, Oosterbosch & Co. Whether it was intentional or not is his answer to give. But of course every cycling fan with some knowledge just thinks about those incidents and the rumored EPO cause when these coronaries seems to happen frequently again in cycling.