Marathon runners aren’t automatically protected from heart attacks, says Dr Devi Shetty

Many people assume that anyone who runs marathons or regularly goes to the gym is naturally protected from heart disease. According to cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, that assumption can be dangerously wrong.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Shetty said physical fitness alone cannot rule out hidden structural heart disease or blocked arteries. He cited data discussed by FIFA regarding cardiac events among professional footballers to stress that even elite athletes undergo extensive heart screening, because serious heart conditions can remain undetected despite a person’s fitness level.

His advice was particularly relevant for young people planning to participate in intense endurance sports. Before taking part in competitive marathons, extreme sports or high-intensity training, he said, a proper medical evaluation can identify problems that may otherwise go unnoticed. He was careful to add that the message is not to avoid exercise — regular physical activity remains one of the best ways to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Dr Shetty explained that coronary artery disease develops slowly over years, as fatty deposits gradually narrow the arteries supplying blood to the heart, often without obvious symptoms until the blockage becomes severe. ‘Nearly 50 percent of the patients with blockage in the coronary arteries have no symptoms. Nearly 50 percent develop a heart attack without any previous chest pain, especially diabetics,’ he said, adding that collapses during exercise may simply expose a heart problem that had been silently progressing for years, rather than being caused by the exercise itself.

Citing Cardiological Society of India recommendations, Dr Shetty said every Indian should know their cholesterol level from the late teenage years, men between 35 and 40 should undergo routine heart evaluation, and anyone with a family history of heart disease should begin screening around age 30.