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2008-10-20 10:51 PM

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Champion
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Bellingham, Washington
Subject: Article about swim deaths

on the home page, there is an article about Triathlons and deaths during the swim.  I blogged something and Hope it makes sense.

Please critique me.  Thanks  

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1604

But be gentle, I'm living in the NW and we have no professional football, all college ball is Division II level and the NBA was stolen....



Edited by BellinghamSpence 2008-10-20 10:52 PM


2008-10-20 11:19 PM
in reply to: #1755678

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Master
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Sunny Southern Cal
Subject: RE: Article about swim deaths
I don't think you're going to die during the swim unless you start thinking about Husky or Cougar football.
2008-10-20 11:30 PM
in reply to: #1755678

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Queen BTich
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Subject: RE: Article about swim deaths

I thought it was good.

 

 

2008-10-21 8:40 AM
in reply to: #1755678

Veteran
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Subject: RE: Article about swim deaths

I thought your article was good overall.  Thanks for taking the time to write it. 

One thing I did take issue with was your concluding paragraph:

"Your responsibility lies in knowing what your risk factors are and being aware of symptoms that must be checked out. Know your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and family history of heart disease, and take measures to keep these under control. Be aware of lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, fainting episodes, sudden fatigue, and, of course, chest pain during any exertion, especially swimming. Get into your physician to get these symptoms and risk factors evaluated."

As far as blood pressure and cholesterol, these, as you pointed out, help you know if you are at risk for heart attack.  They are not risk factors, necessarily, for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

Family history is considered to be a risk factor for both SCA and heart attack.  An obvious risk factor for SCA is having an episode of SCA previously...which, thanks, but it would be helpful to know before the fact.  Additionally, a person who has experienced SCA may not have detectable rhythmic or morphological abnormalities of the heart.

Regarding symptoms of heart attack during exercise, I think most people are aware that men's symptoms of heart attacks may differ from women's.  Obviously not everyone will experience the same symptoms.   

With SCA, there may not be warning signs before arrest occurs.   If the heart stops (or goes into an arrhythmia) during exercise, blood pressure rapidly drops and the person passes out.  The heart continues to beat erratically unless a corrective shock is delivered from a portable device.

 

 

2008-10-21 9:35 AM
in reply to: #1755678

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Subject: RE: Article about swim deaths

Sudden deaths related to exercise have typically been considered to fall into two major divisions: those over the age of 35 are almost always attributed to coronary artery disease or “clogged arteries,” and those under the age of 35 have typically been associated with a variety of heart defects, both anatomic and physiologic.

In your closing paragraph, I would incorporate another reference to the typical contributing factors of sudden deaths (as you have outlined above).  My point being, drive the fact that coronary artery disease and heart defects can and do result in deaths.  While healthy men and woman with an absence of arterial disease or defect that compete in endurance sports such as Triathlon, appears to not statistically increase the chances of sudden death.

While serving in the US Army, I saw several heart related injuries and deaths.  In every case I was involved with, heart disease or defect existed.  Physical training appeared to exacerbate the pre-exisiting illness while drawing (in my opinion) undue attention to the training regimen of US Army service members.

I thought your article was very well written.

Mark
Combat Medic US Army 1980

 

 

 

2008-10-21 9:52 AM
in reply to: #1755678

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Subject: RE: Article about swim deaths

Very well written.  The only item I had some concern with was the comment "CPR cannot be administered in the water."  Actually, while not always optimal depending on the situation, it is possible to perform in-water resucitation.

http://www.rescuediver.org/rescue-tech/watercpr.htm

 

 



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