Key result
Exercise-induced cardiac remodelling in horses and human athletes is generally beneficial but can lead to murmurs and arrhythmias, with sudden cardiac death remaining a rare but catastrophic risk.
Provides a comparative review of exercise-induced cardiac remodelling, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death in equine and human athletes.
Supports arrhythmia vigilance in equine and human athletes; leaves optimal SCD prevention strategies open.
Cardiac remodelling occurs in response to exercise and is generally beneficial for athletic performance due to the increase in cardiac output. However, this remodelling also may lead to an increased prevalence of cardiac murmurs and arrhythmias. In most cases, these are not considered to be significant. However, in some cases, there may be potentially deleterious consequences. Whilst sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a rare occurrence, the consequences are catastrophic for both the horse and potentially the rider or driver. Furthermore, the sudden death of a horse in the public arena has negative connotations in regards to public perception of welfare during equestrian sports. Prediction of which individuals might be susceptible to potential deleterious effects of exercise is a focus of interest in both human and equine athletes but remains a challenge because many athletes experience cardiac murmurs and exercise-induced arrhythmias that are clinically irrelevant. This review summarises the effects of exercise on cardiac remodelling in the horse and the potential effects on athletic performance and SCD. The use of biomarkers and their future potential in the management of athletic horses is also reviewed.
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Wijnberg et al. (2017) conducted a review in Cardiac remodelling and sudden cardiac death in athletes. Exercise-induced cardiac remodelling in horses and human athletes is generally beneficial but can lead to murmurs and arrhythmias, with sudden cardiac death remaining a rare but catastrophic risk.
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