Did too much gymming lead to Junior’s death?

Was Cristiano a victim of far too much professionalism? Maybe the answer’s yes.With the preliminary post-mortem reports ruling out any ...

Was Cristiano a victim of far too much professionalism? Maybe the answer’s yes.

With the preliminary post-mortem reports ruling out any internal or external injury, leading cardiac surgeons in the city point at how athletes and sportspersons undergoing intensive physical training can disturb their heart rhythms.

Weightlifters are more vulnerable and this could happen to anyone who works out intensively in gyms to keep in shape. ‘‘Such athletes can develop thickening of heart muscles and are more prone to irregularity of heartbeats, which will be fatal in certain situations,’’ says Dr. S.S. Ramesh, Chief Cardiologist and Chairman of the Vivus Group.

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While still awaiting the results of histopathology tests being conducted at the Forensic Science Laboratory, which could reveal the cause for the cardiopulmonary arrest Cristiano suffered, doctors say a ‘‘collision’’ or ‘‘excitement’’ could have precipitated the attack in his case.

‘‘It could be a strong vagal reaction (fall in blood pressure and heart beat rate) caused by a severe pain that led to the cardiac arrest. Several instances of such blood injury, which would not show any external or internal bleeding, have been reported in persons with irregular heartbeats,’’ says Ramesh. But normally, the blood pressure and heartbeat rate improve when victims lie down, he adds.

In fact, the most common cause of heart attacks in sportspersons on the field is injury to blood vessels. ‘‘A powerful blow and severe compression on chest could rupture one’s aorta, ventricles or smaller blood vessels, but it will show bleeding,’’ says Dr. Devi Shetty, chairman and senior consultant cardiac surgeon at Narayana Hrudayalaya.

But in Cristiano’s case, as he had no such injuries, Shetty says it could be arrhythmia — electrical destabilisation of the heart. ‘‘He might have had pre-existing rhythm disturbance of the heart and a collision can cause arrhythmia. Sudden excitement also can lead to it, but very rarely,’’ Shetty adds.

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Could Cristiano have been saved by administering proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)? Yes, says Dr. Bhushan, Director of the US-based Paediatric Advanced Life Support, who also imparts training to physicians and ambulance paramedics on advanced resuscitation techniques.

‘‘Often, the heart of adults will go into an abnormal rhythm when the heart is unable to pump blood. The corrective measure is to give shock therapy to the heart,’’ he says.

Unfortunately, most physicians in India are ignorant of CPR. But in the US, a handy version of the device is provided to almost all athletic trainers, he says.

‘‘Sometimes, very good athletes have a heart problem since birth but are not aware of it. And basic examination by physicians may not detect this abnormality,’’ he adds.