At my column this month at Endurance Corner I write about 5 questions athletes ought to be asking the doctor at their next visit.
I’ve written three other articles that address the value of a periodic check-up, how to find a good doctor, and how to deal with the cost of preventive care:
How to Find a Doctor (For Athletes)
Six Tips for Athletes to Reduce the Cost of Preventive Care
Larry,
Things to consider in endurance athletes, particularly as the buzz regarding risks gets louder: 1) BP at rest and with exercise (caution: there is no established value that defines abnormal exercise BP; one must use judgment/experience). 2) To the extent that folks are interested in periodic monitoring over the years (it could have value), ECG and echo could be considered, but would need to be high quality and well quantified (LA size and LV mass). 3) if folks have minor palpitations or frequent PACs are noted, the ZioPatch could be useful to detect subclinical, brief runs of AF. (It’s an adhesive patch with a chip that measures the ECG for up to 14-days; people can shower with it). It may give a clue to a heightened risk for future clinical AF.