I’ve seen several endurance athletes retire abruptly and then soon after have heart issues. Why would this happen?

Question

Dr. Aaron Baggish, MD · Answer

Hey, Greg, Dr. Baggish here. Fabulous question, and one we could talk all day about. Having worked with a number of elite-level athletes who end up developing heart problems, what I can say is that the decision to retire is really a very individual thing. I think, most importantly, when an athlete is told they have a heart problem, it starts a discussion. And the discussion is one in which the athlete and the doctor really talk about the risks and benefits of continuing to train and to compete. And, at the end of the day, the decision really is the athlete's. And we routinely encourage the athletes to talk to all the important people in their lives, their family, first and foremost, their agents, their sponsors, all the people that really help them make decisions. And ideally, then they can make the decision that's the best fit for them. And really, for some folks, the decision to stop is one based on not being willing to accept an element of risk. And for other athletes, the decision to plug away and continue training, competing is the right one, so very individualized decision. Oftentimes, a heart event can be scary, and it's enough for an athlete to want to stop. But that's not always the case. Great question and look forward to more. Thanks so much.

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"I’ve seen several endurance athletes retire abruptly and then soon after have heart issues. Why would this happen?"