Latest news with #UniversityofLeeds
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Cycling grandad 'grateful' to be alive after heart rate skyrocketed
A 74-year-old grandad who had an alarming wake-up call when his heart rate skyrocketed while cycling has said he is "so grateful" to be enjoying the sport again after being fitted with a life-saving medical Cookson from Lancashire had been training at the Manchester Velodrome when he fainted, and later discovered he had a serious heart condition. "I came off and looked at my sports watch which read 'new heart rate record – 238 bpm' and I thought 'oh, that's not good'. And it wasn't going down," he Cookson has since been fitted with a implantable defibrillator to prevent future episodes and told other cyclists "if you get the opportunity for a health check, take it". Mr Cookson, a former head of British and world cycling bodies, saw his heart rate hit 238 beats per minute after the training session in Manchester in said: "I was cycling and started feeling strange. I didn't know if I was in a dream, if I was asleep – then I hit the floor."The veteran rider fainted and had to wait about 15 minutes for his heart rate to return to normal. At the time of his collapse, he had been fitted with a heart monitor as he was one of 108 men taking part in a study of the hearts of older male endurance athletes. 'Stop riding' Researches from the University of Leeds were able to record exactly what was happening to his heart during the incident, and warned him to immediately stop said: "The next day, I got a call. They said, 'Stop riding your bike, don't do anything more strenuous than walking until we can get you in here because we think you need an ICD [implantable cardioverter defibrillator].'"It was revealed he needed the device because he had experienced ventricular tachycardia, an abnormally fast heartbeat where the ventricles do not pump blood around the body effectively, which can lead to cardiac arrest. Mr Cookson has since returned to cycling after being fitted with the implantable defibrillator, which will shock his heart if an abnormal rhythm reoccurs. The university's study found nearly half of older male endurance athletes over 50 had scarring in their hearts which increased the risk of these episodes. Dr Peter Swoboda led the British Heart Foundation-funded study and said the results "shouldn't put people off regular exercise" as the study focused on a select group and not all had scarring. He said: "In our study, the athletes who experienced dangerous heart rhythms often had symptoms first."I'd encourage anyone who experiences blackouts, dizziness, chest pain or breathlessness, whether during sport or at rest, to speak to their doctor and get it checked out."Mr Cookson said: "When I started out in cycling, people thought that taking part in endurance sport would as good as guarantee your heart would stay healthy. "Over the past few years, we've learnt that it's not quite that simple." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Book review: Makings of a masterpiece
The teenage protagonist of Kimberly Campanello's debut novel, introduced to us simply as K, has landed in Brittany in the late 90s to improve her French. She's attending a programme with other overachieving American trainees or 'stagiaires', where speaking and writing in their native language is strictly forbidden and the English-French dictionary can be consulted only once a week for emergencies — K, an aspiring poet, uses it to look up the word 'wasp' for a poem. She's staying in a charming cliff-side home with a warm host family and their three children; Rozenn, Gwenn, and the enigmatic M, another character we know only by initial. Close in age, K and Rozenn become fast friends. M is a few years older than K — she's felt drawn to him ever since the programme sent her a photograph of the family in which he appears shirtless, teasing her formative summer abroad. This isn't a will they won't they tale, we know from the first page that K and M are involved, yet romantic tension drips from the story: The everydayness of living in pleasure with the one person who gives you nothing but. Pleasures of the body and art are explored, frustrations and freedoms are found, empowering options are embraced: 'If she can't find the words she actually wants, she must remake the ones she has.' Irish-American Campanello has already achieved acclaim as a poet and is Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds. Use the Words You Have is the first book from the new imprint of Somesuch, a Bafta and Oscar-winning production company and publisher of an arts journal, founded in London. Aptly, Campanello's writing is filmic, yet this isn't a novel shamelessly constructed with an adaptation in mind; it is one in which each page is a soft spectacle, appearing to unfold from within and above for a result that is somehow both personal and panoramic, and serene, like a solo cinema date. When poets first defect to prose, it can feel as though they are stepping into a hired costume without quite allowing themselves to be zipped into its conventions — poetic devices such as repetition and white space become showy accessories they are determined to work into the look. The novel isn't untouched by this, but it's less like Campanello is trying the form on for size, more like she is pointing us towards an ingenious way of styling. She applies a poet's precision to the unfurling of the narrative that is thrilling to observe, elements of its construction are playfully exhibited, space works for dramatic and humorous effect. Campanello wears her significant skill lightly — although no stranger to a knockout sentence, she seems less concerned with these than with serving the work as a whole. The outcome is a layered, annular artistry that is often breathtaking to witness. K tells us, 'You cannot mouth a photo the way you can mouth and breathe words and skin', and Use the Words You Have is one of those rare books that not only sparks excitement for the talent on show, but revives a passion for the very possibilities of the medium itself. The author and her publisher display innovation, and in an environment of brazen technological advancement, an award-winning production company expanding its print offerings, of all things, feels like a heartening move. Amidst feverish publicity campaigns vying for the book of the summer, Campanello has discreetly slid a masterpiece into the mix. For admirers of Annie Ernaux and André Aciman or indeed any avowed lover of language, if you read one debut this season, make it Campanello's. Read More Book review: A fresh perspective on reflection
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
Heart issues among endurance athletes studied by scientists
Older male endurance athletes may be at higher risk of heart scarring and related complications, according to a new study. Sudden cardiac death is a 'leading cause of mortality' in athletes, experts said as they set out to investigate whether endurance athletes had heart scarring and linked heart rhythm problems. Academics studied 106 former competitive cyclists and triathletes who exercise for more than 10 hours a week for at least 15 years. Experts from the University of Leeds scanned their hearts and had an implantable loop recorder fitted to assess their heart rhythms. They found that 50 of the 106 athletes (47%) had scarring on their hearts, particularly in the left ventricle – the main pumping chamber of the heart. This compares to 11% of 27 non endurance athletes studied for comparison. During a two-year follow up period they found that 22% of the athletes had an abnormal heart rhythm, according to the study which was funded by the the British Heart Foundation and published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. They concluded that the athletes who had heart scarring were over 4.5 times more likely to experience an abnormal heart rhythm episode – which is linked with an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest – compared to those without scarring. It is thought that among endurance athletes scarring could be caused by levels of exercise when the heart has to work even harder to pump blood. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, said: 'There's no doubt that exercise is good for our hearts – it helps to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, manage our weight, and it boosts our mental health. 'But in some veteran male athletes, this early research suggests that intense exercise over many years may have affected their heart health. 'More research in veteran endurance athletes – both in men and women – will be needed to identify the small number of people who have the kind of heart scarring, together with other risk factors, that mean their life could be saved by having an implantable defibrillator.' One of the athletes who took part in the trial was Brian Cookson, keen cyclist and former president of British Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale – cycling's world governing body. The 74-year-old grandfather from Whalley, Lancashire, said the trial could have saved his life. While training at the Manchester Velodrome he started feeling unwell and his sports watch recorded his heart rate had reached 238 beats per minute (bpm), and stayed that way for around 15 minutes. 'I was pushing it a little bit on the track, but not absolutely full gas, as we say in cycling,' Mr Cookson said. He contacted the team involved with the study who reviewed data from his implanted device to record his heart rhythm. They were able to see he had suffered an episode of ventricular tachycardia – an abnormally fast heartbeat where the heart's ventricles contract too quickly and do not pump blood around the body effectively. 'The next day, I got a call. They said, 'Stop riding your bike, don't do anything more strenuous than walking until we can get you in here because we think you need an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)',' he said. He was fitted with one of the devices in August last year which shocks the heart if it goes into an abnormal rhythm. Mr Cookson, who is still cycling, said: 'I keep a closer eye on my heart rate now and if I'm getting to 150bpm I'll start backing off. 'I'm so grateful to have been part of this study. It might well have saved my life. 'Without it, I might have carried on pushing myself until something more serious happened.' Dr Peter Swoboda, associate professor in cardiology and consultant cardiologist at the University of Leeds, who led the study, said: 'In our study, the athletes who experienced dangerous heart rhythms often had symptoms first. 'I'd encourage anyone who experiences blackouts, dizziness, chest pain or breathlessness, whether during sport or at rest, to speak to their doctor and get it checked out. 'These results shouldn't put people off regular exercise. 'Our study focused on a very select group, and not all the athletes involved were found to have scarring in their hearts. We can all benefit from being more active, and this study is an important step towards helping people take part in sport as safely as possible.'
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Heart issues among endurance athletes studied by scientists
Sudden cardiac death is a 'leading cause of mortality' in athletes, experts said as they set out to investigate whether endurance athletes had heart scarring and linked heart rhythm problems. Academics studied 106 former competitive cyclists and triathletes who exercise for more than 10 hours a week for at least 15 years. Experts from the University of Leeds scanned their hearts and had an implantable loop recorder fitted to assess their heart rhythms. They found that 50 of the 106 athletes (47%) had scarring on their hearts, particularly in the left ventricle – the main pumping chamber of the heart. This compares to 11% of 27 non endurance athletes studied for comparison. During a two-year follow up period they found that 22% of the athletes had an abnormal heart rhythm, according to the study which was funded by the the British Heart Foundation and published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. They concluded that the athletes who had heart scarring were over 4.5 times more likely to experience an abnormal heart rhythm episode – which is linked with an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest – compared to those without scarring. It is thought that among endurance athletes scarring could be caused by levels of exercise when the heart has to work even harder to pump blood. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, said: 'There's no doubt that exercise is good for our hearts – it helps to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, manage our weight, and it boosts our mental health. 'But in some veteran male athletes, this early research suggests that intense exercise over many years may have affected their heart health. 'More research in veteran endurance athletes – both in men and women – will be needed to identify the small number of people who have the kind of heart scarring, together with other risk factors, that mean their life could be saved by having an implantable defibrillator.' One of the athletes who took part in the trial was Brian Cookson, keen cyclist and former president of British Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale – cycling's world governing body. The 74-year-old grandfather from Whalley, Lancashire, said the trial could have saved his life. While training at the Manchester Velodrome he started feeling unwell and his sports watch recorded his heart rate had reached 238 beats per minute (bpm), and stayed that way for around 15 minutes. 'I was pushing it a little bit on the track, but not absolutely full gas, as we say in cycling,' Mr Cookson said. He contacted the team involved with the study who reviewed data from his implanted device to record his heart rhythm. They were able to see he had suffered an episode of ventricular tachycardia – an abnormally fast heartbeat where the heart's ventricles contract too quickly and do not pump blood around the body effectively. 'The next day, I got a call. They said, 'Stop riding your bike, don't do anything more strenuous than walking until we can get you in here because we think you need an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)',' he said. He was fitted with one of the devices in August last year which shocks the heart if it goes into an abnormal rhythm. Mr Cookson, who is still cycling, said: 'I keep a closer eye on my heart rate now and if I'm getting to 150bpm I'll start backing off. 'I'm so grateful to have been part of this study. It might well have saved my life. 'Without it, I might have carried on pushing myself until something more serious happened.' Dr Peter Swoboda, associate professor in cardiology and consultant cardiologist at the University of Leeds, who led the study, said: 'In our study, the athletes who experienced dangerous heart rhythms often had symptoms first. 'I'd encourage anyone who experiences blackouts, dizziness, chest pain or breathlessness, whether during sport or at rest, to speak to their doctor and get it checked out. 'These results shouldn't put people off regular exercise. 'Our study focused on a very select group, and not all the athletes involved were found to have scarring in their hearts. We can all benefit from being more active, and this study is an important step towards helping people take part in sport as safely as possible.'
Rhyl Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
Heart issues among endurance athletes studied by scientists
Sudden cardiac death is a 'leading cause of mortality' in athletes, experts said as they set out to investigate whether endurance athletes had heart scarring and linked heart rhythm problems. Academics studied 106 former competitive cyclists and triathletes who exercise for more than 10 hours a week for at least 15 years. Experts from the University of Leeds scanned their hearts and had an implantable loop recorder fitted to assess their heart rhythms. They found that 50 of the 106 athletes (47%) had scarring on their hearts, particularly in the left ventricle – the main pumping chamber of the heart. This compares to 11% of 27 non endurance athletes studied for comparison. During a two-year follow up period they found that 22% of the athletes had an abnormal heart rhythm, according to the study which was funded by the the British Heart Foundation and published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. They concluded that the athletes who had heart scarring were over 4.5 times more likely to experience an abnormal heart rhythm episode – which is linked with an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest – compared to those without scarring. It is thought that among endurance athletes scarring could be caused by levels of exercise when the heart has to work even harder to pump blood. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, said: 'There's no doubt that exercise is good for our hearts – it helps to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, manage our weight, and it boosts our mental health. 'But in some veteran male athletes, this early research suggests that intense exercise over many years may have affected their heart health. 'More research in veteran endurance athletes – both in men and women – will be needed to identify the small number of people who have the kind of heart scarring, together with other risk factors, that mean their life could be saved by having an implantable defibrillator.' One of the athletes who took part in the trial was Brian Cookson, keen cyclist and former president of British Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale – cycling's world governing body. The 74-year-old grandfather from Whalley, Lancashire, said the trial could have saved his life. While training at the Manchester Velodrome he started feeling unwell and his sports watch recorded his heart rate had reached 238 beats per minute (bpm), and stayed that way for around 15 minutes. 'I was pushing it a little bit on the track, but not absolutely full gas, as we say in cycling,' Mr Cookson said. He contacted the team involved with the study who reviewed data from his implanted device to record his heart rhythm. They were able to see he had suffered an episode of ventricular tachycardia – an abnormally fast heartbeat where the heart's ventricles contract too quickly and do not pump blood around the body effectively. 'The next day, I got a call. They said, 'Stop riding your bike, don't do anything more strenuous than walking until we can get you in here because we think you need an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)',' he said. He was fitted with one of the devices in August last year which shocks the heart if it goes into an abnormal rhythm. Mr Cookson, who is still cycling, said: 'I keep a closer eye on my heart rate now and if I'm getting to 150bpm I'll start backing off. 'I'm so grateful to have been part of this study. It might well have saved my life. 'Without it, I might have carried on pushing myself until something more serious happened.' Dr Peter Swoboda, associate professor in cardiology and consultant cardiologist at the University of Leeds, who led the study, said: 'In our study, the athletes who experienced dangerous heart rhythms often had symptoms first. 'I'd encourage anyone who experiences blackouts, dizziness, chest pain or breathlessness, whether during sport or at rest, to speak to their doctor and get it checked out. 'These results shouldn't put people off regular exercise. 'Our study focused on a very select group, and not all the athletes involved were found to have scarring in their hearts. We can all benefit from being more active, and this study is an important step towards helping people take part in sport as safely as possible.'
