Originally Posted by
Rowan
There have been some high-profile and very fit advocates of physical activity who have died of heart attacks aat quite young ages.
Being fit is no guarantee at all. However, clotting and clogging of the arteries in the heart do seem to be key factors and can be strongly linked, I think, to diet and exercise.
Another little known factor is a genetic predisposition to clotting of the blood. Machka has it, and it was brought to light by a serious case of DVT.
There sometimes can be more to heart attacks than people think.
Nicely said. It seems many people are unaware that many/most "heart attacks" are actually vascular events. When the plaque builds up to such a level that it interferes with blood flow to the heart, the heart muscle gets damaged and we call it a heart attack. Same issue when a chunk of plaque just breaks off and clogs an artery acutely. The pump was just fine, it was the pipes that created the problem.
It looks like a strong, healthy, well-exercised heart can withstand more of these vascular insults than the heart of a sedentary person. All the more reason to ride, as if any of us need another.