Posted: June 19, 2006

Sportsmedicine: Age Related Cardiac Fatigue

Professor Jack Goodman explores the possibility

Funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Professor Jack Goodman’s current research will examine heart function during prolonged exercise, specifically the factors that may evoke cardiac fatigue, or transient dysfunction. This research will help address recent concerns about the risks of exercise, especially after the exercise related deaths of individuals participating in recreational sporting events and several well known athletes.

While prior work in this area focused on younger populations, this project will compare older participants (50-60 years of age) to younger participants (20-30 years). Aging effects and hidden (‘occult’) disease that may be more common in the older athlete may make this group more susceptible to dysfunction Professor Goodmans says.

Exercise intensity in provoking cardiac fatigue will also be assessed. The effects of prolonged exercise, and in particular, the intensity of the exercise itself, on the cardiac receptors that regulate heart rate and pump function will be closely examined. Initial findings from pilot work just completed, indicate that these receptors may be temporarily ‘down-regulated’ or desensitized after prolonged exercise, leading to less effective heart function in the left ventricle. Goodman and his collaborator Dr. Zion Sasson of Mt. Sinai Hospital, make use of state of the art techniques in the stress echocardiography laboratory to image the left ventricle and quantify diastolic and systolic function before, during and after exercise stress.

This research is especially relevant considering the rising participation in endurance events (e.g. 10 km and marathons) among the over-35 set, and the currently limited understanding of left ventricular function during prolonged exercise of this population.

Recruitment for this study will begin shortly and the study is expected to take two years to complete. If you know of anyone that is preparing for a marathon or endurance event that will last at least 2 1/2 to 4 hours, and will be attempting the event for the first time, please contact Jack Goodman, at jack.goodman@utoronto.ca.

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