I got so many mails to help me and others requesting information...I'm putting it all back out there. Since these cardiac effects can be seen in nearly all serious cyclists...most of you may want to at least scan this mail.
--------------
Conclusions about intensive cycling:

I. First, keep in mind, IÂ?m no doctor. I intend to meet with my own physician and go over these conclusions with him. Verify everything I write here. If you have actual cardiac issues, keep asking questions. If anyone wants to add new information or CORRECT me if I have something wrong or misleadingÂ?DO IT!!

II. Criteria:
A. Running &/or cycling more than 3 hours per week. For cyclists: usually 5-8 hours per week ~100-140 miles/week, ~20-40% of riding done with intensity, doing this regimen for more than 2-3 years.
B. The runner/rider could be any age; male or female; cardiac healthy or not. (There are research documented and local undocumented cases of runners/riders suffering myocardial infarctions & other cardiac issues then becoming excellent long distance cyclists. Obviously, in both of these categories, these people were training under the guidance of their physician.)

III. Conclusions:

Note: these conclusions are all based on my own analysis of available published web content. I tried to be sure I was using quality information. I also received v. specific, informed emails from GCC membersÂ?some as cardiac patients, some cardiac doctors. Their information and suggestions were consistent with my web sources.

A - Computers often (always?) are the first line of diagnosis of an EKG print. The computer compares your personal EKG with Â?standards.Â? If yours doesnÂ?t fit the standardsÂ?it is labeled. In my case: abnormal

B - The human interpretation often parallels the computer analysis. Medical personnel with experiences analyzing the EKGs of truly non-healthy people &/or healthy non-athletic people often come to the same Â?abnormalÂ? conclusion about EKG of trained cyclists and runners.

C - Blood data for pressure, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, LDL/HDL ratio, Lipids, Triglycerides, CHD risk factor, Cardiac CRPÂ?and there are more tests that doctors useÂ?these listed are all handy for supporting or denying the presence of cardiac problems. Particularly, if you have years of blood testing to establish a baseline.

D - Specifically, cyclists that meet the criteria listed above, can expect Â?abnormalÂ? EKGs. My case was Â?stereotypical.Â? My EKG displayed an Â?abnormalÂ? R wave. This is known as a poor R wave progression = PRWP. My research indicates that this is v. common among trained cyclists. I know of a case like this among our GCC ridersÂ?besides me. Keep in mind there are other cardiac changes that can be seen in trained cyclistsÂ?IÂ?m focusing just on PRWP.

NOTE: If you had an old EKG, THEN became a serious cyclist, you may see changes on a new EKG.

E - For cyclists, PRWP is caused by eccentric right & left ventricle hypertrophy = eRVH & eLVH. Eccentric means the diameter and thus, volume, of the chambers are increased and there is a proportional increase in the thickness of the muscle chamber walls in both ventricles. This occurs as the body responds to stress from intense ridingÂ?pushing more blood into the lungs and more out in to the body.

F - This effect is generally considered benign. In other words, you are most likely Â?abnormallyÂ? healthy. For my own case, between analyzing years of blood data, web information, opinions from medical professionals, & opinions from actual cardiac patients who cycleÂ?IÂ?m pretty sure that these are generally valid conclusions. But, remember: if it happens to you, trust but verify. I WILL be consulting my own doctor.

G - If you suspect cardiac issues, besides taking a baby aspirin every day, the next step you may want to consider is a treadmill Cardiolyte scan. Ask your doctor to explain this one.

H - The gold standard to be sure your 99% cardiac healthy is a cardiac CT of the coronaries &/or a cardiac catheterization. If you suspect a genetic component due to family historyÂ?get a genetic test.

I - If you stop riding/runningÂ?your heart will go back to Â?normalÂ? by EKG standards.

Best References:

1. http://homepage.mac.com/daichishimbo/filechute/Athletes%20Heart.pdf

2. http://www.meddean.luc.edu/Lumen/MedEd/MEDICINE/skills/ekg/les4prnt.htm

3. Multiple GCC mails from 1) cyclist/cardiac doctors and 2) cardiac patients who are also scientists and cyclists. I will forward any mails someone may want.
---

Thanks to all those who sent mail. Thanks to all those who wanted to know the outcome. IÂ?m pretty sure I have worked up some good information, but am open for updates, suggestions, corrections. REMEMBER, I will still be meeting with my doctor by Christmas.

Either way, spin the hillsÂ?Bob Howland

Get easy, one-click access to your favorites. Make Yahoo! your homepage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from GCCMail, please go to http://gccfla.org/. Point to Members Area, and click on GCCMail. Use the form on the page.