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The Haywire Heart

BigDunc profile image
14 Replies

Hi everyone, I have just come across a really good read called the Haywire Heart

I listen to it on Audible and I’m about halfway through. It’s focus is around Arrhythmia and exercise particularly endurance sports. The narration is excellent and even makes the technical jargon interesting.

I’ve always felt my AF has been a result off over training through out my life. Although it’s not going to cure me the book gives you a good understanding why it’s happened and in my case may help in reducing the frequency of AF as I still tend to overdo my training regime and push myself to hard.

The book may help others out there with similar issues. Discussion is around all aspects of the heart with numerous case studies.

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BigDunc profile image
BigDunc
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14 Replies
meadfoot profile image
meadfoot

Thanks for the info. Keep well.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

I have not read this book, but the link between over training and AF is and has been well known for many years. Interstingly it is mainly amateur athletes who suffer this as professionals who retire in the thirties and de train seem to suffer less. It is the "can't and won't give it up " people who suffer in later life. You may also be intersted to know that a second group having a greater than normal incidence of AF are fast jet pilots who have to work their hearts hard to fight g forces.

BigDunc profile image
BigDunc in reply toBobD

Hi Bob interesting about amateurs as the book makes sense off this as professional athletes are trained far better in the importance of rest and nutrition etc.

I used to go out cycling or running on a weekend after drinking copious amounts off alcohol the night before paying for it now.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toBigDunc

Absolutely agree about amateur athletes, I and most of my friends did similar so that after a week of competition we were all half dead - apart from those in the national squad who went to bed! . My sport was dinghy sailing. My step-grandson is a double, hopefully about to be a triple Olympian and has a degree in sports science and nutrition. Even though currently training mostly in isolation, he is monitored to the nth degree - calorie intake is off the scale but the most interesting aspect to me was the amount of rest and recovery time he takes. Rest and recuperation is very underrated.

BigDunc profile image
BigDunc in reply toCDreamer

Wish I’d been more informed though not the same knowledge fifty years ago. My trainer used to advocate going for a run after a night on the beer to sweat it out of you although we were encouraged to drink bottled Guinness 😅

I’ve not read it either but I believe the author is Dr John Mandrola, a cardiologist who is/was a competitive cyclist and has AF so probably knows what he’s talking about 😉

BigDunc profile image
BigDunc

Hi Flapjack that’s right certain aspects off the book are endorsed by him and others. I also read an article by him on Ablation (he’s performed around 800) which was really informative.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toBigDunc

He has a few blogs about ablation - he’s not that great a fan.

BigDunc profile image
BigDunc in reply toCDreamer

Not myself now after my last one

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toBigDunc

I also had a lot of problems.

BigDunc profile image
BigDunc in reply toCDreamer

Got a follow up consultation with my EP on the 24th should be an interesting conversation can’t see me having a repeat the way I feel at the moment

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

You might also be interested in his Blog website - some interesting stuff.

drjohnm.org/

BigDunc profile image
BigDunc in reply toCDreamer

Thanks will take a look

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2

I have a copy sitting on my bookshelf. It is an interesting book to read as it contains lots of informative case studies and cyclists in particular might find it informative.

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