[Closed] Right lads, grab a brew and pull up a seat.... I'm going to be blunt.

One of the most important threads of this year, lets all read , digest and get checked out if in doubt.

Thanks for sharing .....had me thinking as well .....being of a certain age ...ahem

just had Blood Pressure checked, Cholesterol last year.

Thanks for posting.

Very good post. Thanks for putting it out there.

Cheers for posting this. A cholesterol check has been on my "to do list" for the last 2 or 3 years (I'm 45)

Very good and well timed post. I must admit, I was thinking rather depressedly that if this can happen to people with the lifestyle of messiah and Steve Worland, there isn't a lot that the likes of me can do to avoid it. A well put kick up the arse to take a proactive approach. Thanks.

Plus 1.
Thanks for the kick up the arse, been meaning to get a 'well man' health check for a while now. My last one was 6yrs ago & whilst the nurse said i was 'disgustingly healthy' and my cholesterol was as low as can be healthy it was still a while ago.

mods, can you make this a sticky please? Lets not have another Steve Worland.

Not just men either.

Not just men either.

True Bunny but having dangly bits between your legs increases your risk factor of cardiac problems by an [u]instant 50%[/u]

Thanks Jock. Glad you're well and in rude health now.

Cheers for posting - in line for a diabetes check, will ask about this too.

Good post! I went for a "giffers" check last year and it was worthwhile from a health perspective. Dont ignore your body and use the NHS, its there to help you!

Great post.

Thanks for posting, will get an appointment sorted on Monday 😉

Cholesterol/ECG test last week.

Called back to "have a chat" with the doc on Wednesday as my cholesterol is 8.

J-M talks sense...

Biggest problem is "Parmesan tastes good". Cholesterol is elevated, more cheescake than fatball.

So, what is the main cause of high cholesterol?

So, what is the main cause of high cholesterol?

Diet/Lifestyle is the main

Being a bloke ramps it right up

or like me you have an underlying genetic predisposition to it check your family history, if all your blood relatives shuffled off this mortal coil because of cardiac issues and / or strokes then you can take a fairly good bet that you are a ticking time bomb

Yeah I forgot high cholesterol is also bad for strokes too, same underlying reason that arteries get furred up and then a clot or a chunk of glop from your artery breaks off and blocks an artery in a vital place. i.e. heart attack or stroke

Great post and some valuable information.

I am lucky that my work pays for a private check every two years. bearing in mind I am not the healthiest of people really I have the lungs of a 25 year old (am 38), very very slightly overweight according to the official measurements, cholesterol of 4.5 and a perfect ECG trace.

Really pissed my wife off.

That said I wouldn't have known all of this without a check...

Jock-muttley: True Bunny but having dangly bits between your legs increases your risk factor of cardiac problems by an instant 50%

Simple solution to that...

Simple solution to that...

Yeah take beta blockers and ACE inhibitors.... that un-mans you really quickly

Sorry coranary artery disease sufferers joke there

No history of congenital heart disease in my family but still worth a full service check.

Just about to head off to bed and came across this post. My poppa (grandad) who was the cleanest living most sensible chap who had the odd glass of red was killed by cholesterol and a gammy heart. As a kid I remember him doing 2 widths of the swimming baths under water no bother. His lungs were huge and he was fit! 7 i tell you 7 heart attacks before he succumbed! The last one was in hospital, he was my hero and I still miss him 20 yrs later!

I was thinking about starting a similar topic myself. No direct experience personally, but I've seen these threads on cycling forums far too often. It does make you wonder, and we can only benefit from a better awareness of what to look for and what preventative measures to take.

Is it mainly cholesterol that causes heart attacks? (I suddenly realise now I know very, very little about the subject, and at the grand age of 35, I'd like to know more!)

Hmmm, I too am shocked and saddened, too many healthy people going before their time. Full MOT, blood checks etc (which I've never had though considered the norm here in France) to follow. I never go to the docs, but it won't hurt to check stuff out.

Hope others follow suit.

Paternal grandfather died at 65 from a heart attack.
Dad died at 65 from a heart attack.
Can't help feeling the cards are stacked... 😯

Good post.
Much like you I was a whippet, really fit and in the course of a std medical was told my cholesterol was high. I wasn't fat or lazy and was naive to think that I was ok.
Changed diet not massively, now have gone to it being nice and low.
A friend died of a heart attack on me and frankly it scared me now I am 40
Agree in all senses
And also check your balls while you're at it !

Never had a cholesterol check going to remedy that next week

See if your workplace can organise some kind of healthcheck. We were all offered one this week just gone - blood pressure, cholestrol, body fat index, height, weight, glucose levels etc. Thankfully I flew through it all but for the sake of a pin prick in your finger and waiting 2 minutes for the result, its well, well, well worth it.

Very good post highlighting our own mortality. Found out yesterday my mum has Huntington's Disease, with all it's repercutions. Life is too short, enjoy it.

OP talks a lot of sense. 39 here and found out by accident that I had the same genetic problem as op and also 8.9. Not helped by being a fat bugger and was a heavy smoker. Am righting those wrongs now and feel much better for it but have had a real wake up call.

No need to start a thread like this out apologetically. F#*k it, it might save someone's life!

I have a bad family history of strokes, so got a check a couple of years back, despite being a fatty, I have low cholesterol level, lucky me!

To lots of people having a heart attack is a death sentence (metaphorically and in reality) to me it was a life sentence... which is a double edged sword

life sentence in that I'm committed to taking medication for the rest of my life and the inherent side effects, when I exercise I wear a heart rate monitor so I don't max above 170BPM. and.. and this may be slightly morbid - I know what is probably going to kill me in the end.

but

life sentence in that I have been given a second chance so I'm just going for it. My prognosis is good-ish long term, I know that my life has probably been foreshortened by a significant amount, my heart is damaged, one area of heart muscle is damaged beyond repair (gene / stem cell therapy may fix this but its still experimental). But if I stay fit, take the medication then there is no reason why I cant continue doing everything I want to.

After my MI I went through a significant period of depression and paranoia, I underwent psychotherapy and was prescribed anti-depressants.. those were just props. The paranoia is insidious though every time your heart skips a beat or beats hard you panic, every time you have a twinge in your chest you think ... is this it.. but you get through it, you realise that this is just normal, your heart is just a muscle it's not an atomic clock, it does all sorts of weird stuff. The breakthrough for me was kicking the anti-depressants into touch seven years ago, since then I've never looked back.

BUT what I have developed is healthy paronoia and I get regularly checked out... the biggest lesson I learned was not to ignore the aches and pains from the sports injuries,,, my left shoulder is mince due to a motorsport incident (I effectively "carried" a rally car door for 24 miles popping my shoulder out of joint every time we hit a bump) my neck too is fubar'd due to rallying accidents so there is constant low level pain exactly like angina. I undergo a cardiac stress test every year where they drop me on a running machine, wire me up and try and induce an MI by making me run! last year they picked up an abnormality and they discovered that the original stent I'd had inserted (a stent is a metal spring type device that opens a blocked artery up) was furring up. They whipped me in and inserted another stent in the same place, I was back up and on a bike 3 days later.

Anyhoo I'm forgetting where I'm going with this.. .point is even if you are diagnosed with a problem its not the end of everything for me it was the beginning.

Good thread saves lives.

🙂

Jock is right.Go and get checked out! Knowing any potential problems in advance is the key, not just for the heart but for anything else. Get full blood tests, cholesterol, PSA (prostate), the works.
I'm pretty lucky; 8 years ago felt dodgy, missus dragged me to docs, chol level of 9.6. Now 4 ish with reasonably healthy eating, but 5 stents and a double bypass 4 years ago. Fortunately no heart attack!
I'll say it again; Go and get checked out! THey have the heart sorted. It's only a simple pump!

Idon'tknow how Jock got on a bike three daysafter an angioplasty. For two weeks my balls were like this:[img] http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=90354 [/img]

So if you race whippets have problems, does this mean us fat bastards are ok?

Actually... I think I know the answer to that. Thanks for the post. There was an interesting article in the guardian not long back about blokes of... Ahem... a certain age taking up activities like cycling, but still carrying on with the weekend drinking and casual drug use they'd done previously, and this seriously bumping up the chance of heart attacks

after opening this thread,will now book an appointment for a cholesterol test now. thanks jock-muttley for the warning (am certainly not fit).

Excellent post....after two heart attacks I couldn't have put it better myself.

Listen to your body!

A timely reminder for me too.
I was due to have minor surgery last year at the age of 50 and it got cancelled at the last minute (literally, I had the lace at the back gown on and everything) because my blood pressure was too high.

Various blood tests and ECGs, and all they could find was my Cholesterol very slightly above the normal range, nothing to worry about.

I was put on blood pressure tablets and given the usual advice;
Eat less meat. I eat none.
Drink less alcohol. I drink none.
Stop smoking. I never started.
Eat less salt. I never add it to cooking and rarely eat foods with it in.
Do more exercise. More !?

I was put on tablets and told to come back in a couple of weeks.
Went back, they upped the dose.
Repeat several times until I'm on a high dose of two different tablets.

Eventually got my BP down and had the operation.

However, that's where this is a timely reminder for me.
Once I'd had the operation I thought, that's it, I can stop taking the tablets now.
I really ought to get back in to the routine of taking them every day.

Great post. Yup just because you do lots of sports and eat well doesn't make you 100% safe.

One small point

unfortunately the NHS treats all heart attack patients as if they are pensioners (which to be fair most are)

That's not true unless it's a left you in a really bad way.

Ditto all the above: I got a yellow card from the doctors earlier this year for high blood pressure and high cholesterol but unfortunately got a load of pretty useless advice too : stop smoking (never smoked), exercise more ( er, ok...does running, mountain biking and road cycling every week not count?) eat a healthy diet ( I do) etc. Oh, and after this bombshell " come back in six months and well retest you, here's a photocopied sheet on how to stay fit, lower your BMI and eat veg..."

Low cholesterol diet and desperately trying to de-stress now 😐

+1 for the NHS or at least my local surgery. I went in last year for a minor skin complaint and they noticed I hadn't had my blood pressure taken for a while (always been fine so didn't think about it). Anyway guess what it was up, quitd a bit. The doctors were excellent, badgered me into going back for retests to see if was white coat syndrome, it wasn't, had the bloods done, wore a monitor for 24 hrs and had an ecg. Pressure definitely not good, every thing else ok for now. It was the wake up call I needed, I knew I was unfit and carrying far too much weight but had sleep walked into it. Anyway that shock of suddenly not being right (never had issues with blood tests or pressure before so never thought about it, not something that affected me) has had the desired effect, stone and a half lost so far, same to go and now so much fitter. And I feel so much better, don't feel bloated and I can ride my bike for the first time ages with out my legs hurting and puffing out my backside. Docs called me back out the blue couple of weeks ago for a follow up, pressure is down, not ideal but much better. So if they offer the checks grab them, it could make the difference to get yourself sorted before it becomes serious.

There is a whole counter argument about cholesterol not being the baddie and instead pointing the blame at sugar but either way getting checked out if good,

I have a docs visit tomorrow due to an abnormal blood test, blood pressure is spot on though 130 over 70. I asked what it was about and she just said the doc would tell me, no one seems to be panicing so will find out tomorrow.

Will I die, I am immortal well so far. . . .

One of the few threads that actually matters. Thanks for posting.

My old man died of a myocardial i faction at 59, and as I approach my mid 30's I will be particularly mindful of this advice.

Very good post.
Mrs tandemwarrior has been under the drs for 15+ years for high blood pressure, ME, 'womens things' and a host of other things. She always complains that life insurance and travel insurance is always far more expensive when she discloses these, but her argument is she is much more of a 'known quantity' when compared to me who has barely seen a doctor in my life, am never (touch wood) ill, but could be a ticking time bomb. And if it can happen to Steve Worland....

I think a visit to the docs for a health check is in order. Thank you for the kick in the butt.

Rob

Great post, thanks.

My docs brought me in for a well man test (full bloods, BP etc) at 40, and they were happy to do it again age 43. Just wanted to make the point that it's available on the NHS. Happily no issues for me.

However, about 12 years ago, when I was 5 stone heavier than I am now, I had a real scare when my arm and half my face went numb. Cue ambulance, blue lights, panic etc. ECG found nothing, and it just went away with no after effects. Was the wake up call I needed. Bought a bike (first of many 🙂 ) and now consider myself a sensible weight and just ran a 1:35 half marathon

As said previous, my Doc said they don't test for Cholesterol under the age of 40 but my Mate, who goes to a different surgery, has been tested and he's only 29.

I'm 36 so I'm either going to have to keep annoying them or has anyone ever been to somewhere like Lloyds Pharmacy to have it done ?

Really concerned now despite loosing 2 1/2 stone over a few years.

This is fair comment. I've had 2 people I know die from heart attacks in the last 2 weeks. Neither of them had any prior warning. My uncle 69 and a boy I vaguely knew who was 44 year old.

This is a great post and something well worth getting checked out. I'm 34 and until last year had never been checked out.

If you don't want to hassle the GP Sainsburys do a regular free walk in clinic every few months, I had mine done last year as a serial omelette and fried egg eater, along with my snack of choice being peanuts and cashews, thought it would be off the chart. Turns out cholesterol high eggs don't necessarily equate to high cholesterol.

So went for the checkup @ sainsburys and it was 3.5, it needs to be less than 5 for good heart health. (less than 4 is optimal)

After 6 months of intermittant fasting I returned and it's now down to 2.73!

Missus has a history of high cholesterol in the family, 6 months ago hers was 4.8 and docs suggested she start on Statins (at the age of 30!!) due to this (side effects for these are ridiculous!) she refused to, and hers is now 3.6 after 6 months of intermittent fasting.

One other good food for soaking up cholesterol laden arteries is porridge, I have around 2 bowls a day and have done for several years now.

This may be a stupid question but...I had my blood pressure taken several times before my snip and it was bang on every time. Perfect was the word used by one of the nurses.
Does that one simple test mean that everything blood-pumping related, ie clogging up arteries, is OK?

We'll done jack-muttley for posting this. Steve's death is truly shocking. I had a cholesterol check last year after another minor scare, my bad cholesterol was a bit high but my good cholesterol (the doctor's words not mine!) was good. Still room for improvement. This has been a real soberer and I'm going to look at my diet again. I'm fit and hardly drink at all but I could probably eat a bit more healthily.

definitely has got me thinking...

So can I just rock up at the docs and request a check. My GP tends to be a bit 'meh' when it comes to any kind of tests. Doesn'thelp I'm a total hypocondriac however.

Can it be done privately?

Probably the best opening post I have ever read on STW.

Can it be done privately?

Certain Lloyds Pharmacies will do the test, I'm going to ring my nearest one tomorrow, will let you know what they say.

Mods, is it worthwhile making this a sticky?

Off for a health check on Thursday, they took bloods last week but one. It was offered by the local clinic, so if you get a letter through your door. Don't ignore it !!!

I have just turned 48 BTW, so I'm curious to see what the results are

A couple of things of late have got me thinking about this. My uncle who's as fit as a fiddle had a stroke and then the threads on here of people who've looked after themselves being struck down.
Time to make some big changes.
+1 for making this a sticky

I don't know how Jock got on a bike three days after an angioplasty. For two weeks my balls were like this

That's because they went in through my radial artery rather than the femoral!

[img] [/img]

It still blows my mind that this tiny little scar (the pale one about an inch above the freckle) is all that's left of the access point to my heart - ha I suppose you could say that they found the route to my heart. Will say that my arm did ache for about a week after the radial artery does get a bit stretched when they insert the catheter.

One small point

unfortunately the NHS treats all heart attack patients as if they are pensioners (which to be fair most are)
That's not true unless it's a left you in a really bad way.

Drac please don't get me wrong, my criticism is of one small part of the system NOT the standard of care.

I cannot fault the level of attention and care lavished on me by NHS staff at (for MI #1) Earlston Medical Practice, The Borders General Hospital, The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and for stent #2 Marine Medical Group in Blyth, Wansbeck General Hospital Ashington and The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. The technical competency of the staff is above and beyond professional. Basically I would best describe it as like being wrapped in cotton wool.

The point I was making (badly) is that the NHS aftercare and drugs regime is (of course) based on years and years of study and experience with previous MI patients. These patients are predominantly male, aged 60+, tend to lead fairly sedentary lives with little exercise. So when a 37yo Adrenaline freak bounds through the door then the system just goes "does not compute"

Early onset MI amongst adrenaline sports participants is a relatively new phenomenon but it is on a steady rise in these last ten to fifteen years. BUT the advice is geared for pensioners or the chronically obese - they are statistically the bulk of the patients. After my second stent last year I was offered fitness coaching sessions at the local health centre by the regional cardiac rehab team, working on the principle that I always have something to learn and that these guys will tailor the exercise to me.

Walked into the first session and it is only a mild exaggeration to say that I was either half the age or half the weight of the other participants. The staff taking the session were slightly incredulous when I went to sign in "are you sure you should be here?" (I was stood there in summer lycra roadie kit having cycles down) "yup" says I "cardiac rehab" ... I lasted 20 seconds into the first exercise "walking very slowly round a gym hall" before I said nope not for me, the staff completely understood. I explained that I had been expressly assured that these sessions were ideal for me I got the response that "fit and active to a 65yo in SE Northumberland means being able to walk from the pub to the betting shop and back via the chippy!".

Anyway they were brilliant and they sorted out subsidised gym sessions complete with a trainer for 6 months which was brilliant, they said the funding was already there for rehab for me.

As I was saying the system is geared to the bulk of the patients they are seeing. The drug regime is predominatly prophylactic designed for the appropriate standard of fitness and medical condition of their "joe average" patient. Despite my blood pressure averaging 120/60 and my resting heart rate averaging 50 bpm since my MI ten years ago I was still prescribed medication to lower my blood pressure and heart rate.. because that's the STANDARD regime, its not the NHS systems fault I'm a statistical anomaly to the system...

What I'm reading from you guys is that the standard approach of the Medical Profession is to prescribe pills, the system (i.e. standard practice) does not take into account the fact that a patient is young enough to make them selves better (particularly with regard to blood pressure, heart rate) and the very medication they give to make you better actually almost totally inhibits your ability to exercise - basically because it's geared to a 65yo average bloke who's doesn't exercise really, who isn't that sexually active (yeah these drugs really affect that).

I have had to battle my GP and my cardiologists to get these drugs (Beta Blocker and ACE Inhibitor) removed from my standard prescription list, they kept arguing that the results spoke for themselves in showing significant long term benefits for patients ... my argument was that these bulk of the patients didn't notice the side effects due to their age but to me they were ruining my quality of life. I proved then right after 6 weeks off them that my heart rate had actually lowered and my blood pressure had stabilised at 120/60 by the simple fact that I could exercise properly and efficiently.

Any hoo .... long and short I cant praise the NHS staff involved in my care enough but the system is a tad inflexible.

+1. My 51 year old Dad kicked my arse up Mastyles Lane in Jan 2003. He died of a heart attack on the way down the other side. He was generally fitter than I was at the time, with ok cholesterol and only marginally high BP. Had been ignoring feeling "a bit chesty" for a couple weeks. Listen to your body.

at 27 i was fit as a butchers, top 3 in NEMBAS and Brit Champs.. purely by chance i went to an a/e for somthing totally unrelated doc said i ll have a quick listen to your heart..

3 or 5 goes later and an ecg and i had a 'serious regurgitation' in my aeorta.

no pain no discomfort fit as fun slim as a pencil bp and chloestrol spot on..

under the knives and i am now bionic .. titanium and stainless steel keeps me alive

just because you are young fit and slim does not mean you and yes i mean you the young fit healthy 27 year old with no priors is not at risk.. go for a simple check up.. SAVE A LIFE >>> YOURS.

Have my cholesterol, blood pressure and all other bloods taken yearly since i got salmonella 7 years ago. Couldn't do anything for nearly 7 weeks, i got hit bad with it. I have a good doctor and as he says 'just to keep an eye on it' incase anything has changed.

I am not a whippet by any means and not exactly what you would call slim. I started to commute to work on my bike in February (16 miles per day) to keep fit, eat less snacks and have proper meals. It all helps. My cholesterol is one of the lowest readings my doctor says he has seen so body shape and size definitely does not come into it.

Top thread!

My 51 year old Dad kicked my arse up Mastyles Lane in Jan 2003. He died of a heart attack on the way down the other side.

I too am 51 PLR, that's worrying. I was considered fit as a butchers dog for my 50yo well man check last year. The nurse was suitably impressed that I was exercising for 15 hours a week on and off the bike. Will keep a listening watch on what's going on.

Exactly....

You cannot tell by looking at someone what their cholesterol is.... I have a superfit mate (actually nicknamed the Bombay Racing Snake) who is so skinny he makes a Biafran look chronically obese and his would be through the roof if he wasn't on statins - he got his checked due to my MI.

We have a mutual mate who is your typical fat lad, been a tubby laddy all his life - weirdly he's fit as a butchers and on a good day can outpace me. his cholesterol is through the floor, he gets the full MOT once a year due to another family condition and has done a cardiac stress test with not even a blip, he can regularly max out at 190bpm and not even blink, his resting is something like 45BPM.
He works a very physical job all day (forestry) and rides 100 miles a week. He likes his food though and a LOT of it but its all fairly healthy stuff. His weight is totally stable at about 19st, his BMI is off the chart but his GP say that for him, his body type it just must be what his genetic mix has made him. He's tried loosing the bulk but can't, he just gets really crabby if you don't feed him.

Ringing the doc in the morning, lost a dear friend to a similar if night exact same situation 🙁

Thanks Jock, I showed this to my dad. (he's 46) he went v quiet, came and gave me a hug and promised to make an appt with the GP to get checked.

*hugs*

Passing it on 8)

This thread and Steve's death has promted me to go to the over40's NHS MOT check up. Off to hospital 6.30am tomorrow with blood form that has been hanging up by computer for 5 months. RIP Steve, very sad.

As said several times above get it checked!

I had some mild pains from time to time on the left side of my chest. Left it a few months and eventually decided to get it checked at the docs. Did the bloods and ECG and all normal, then sent me to the local heart unit for further checks including two different ECGs. All turned out to be OK, the mild pain must have been muscular. Big relief to know its all fine, and great service from the NHS.

A guy who goes to the same gym as me - and one of the fittest in the gym for his age - had a few breathing problems in a spin class which he thought was asthma. He got an inhaler but the shortness of breath continued. His GP sent him to the same heart unit as me, and an angioplasty found severe narrowing in one artery. Result two stents inserted and one very relieved guy!

Its better, quicker and cheaper for all parties if you get things checked before they become a significant problem to you, your family and the NHS.

Have never had my cholesterol checked. Don't remember the last time I had my blood pressure checked. Probably only seen a doctor 10 times In my life.

Turned 40 last year. Dad died at 62 from a massive stroke. He was a keen cyclist too.

Think It's time to ring my GP.

Awesome thread. I am in middle of a chest infection/asthma issue and want to get back to riding as I have put on half a stone in last month. But so scared and upset after Steve just, well, literally dropped dead.
GP tomorrow.

Never had a blood test, have been thinking about getting checked over for while and promised myself I'll do it next year when I reach 50.

At about the time I turned 40 there was a lot of publicity about men getting a health check at 40. Off I toddle to my GP (family GP, fully aware of family medical history - father died after stroke, mother died of heart attack) and request a health check which I think in those days would have cost me about £40. He asks "why", I reply "well, I'm 40 and it's advised I get checked over". He says "do you feel unwell?" "No" says I and he says "then why waste your money!"
Nearly twenty years on now and I have been unwell a few times in the interim and have had various samples taken and tests done to determine how to mend me.

I agree with the OP, listen to your body. But, don't fret about your health to the point of making yourselves ill. If you feel unwell then deal with it, don't ignore it. Over the years I've lost too many friends but I've yet to die of the same thing the next day. Just putting it in perspective; great advice from the OP but as Cpl.Jones would have said, "don't panic...".

Just shared the thread on Facebook, good advice in this thread. Thanks all.

Good post. I get my biometrics checked every 6 - 12 months, it gives me peace of mind but also gives me cheaper insurance come renewal time

Great post, cant believe I haven't seen it before this. My dad experiences are pretty much the same as he has genetically very high cholesterol as does his twin. I think its something that need to be talked about more.

How are you finding getting back to training? My dad said all the doctors were terrified to let him elevate his heart rate too much because heart attacks are associated with people who don't do exercise!

Great post - bump back to the top

Something I've been putting off for a while - now booked in for Friday

My chloresterol is through the roof, similar to the OP. It has been for the last few years of checking. I am under huge pressure to go onto statins by the GP and am resisting owing to fear of side effects - I've heard depression, muscle wasting, liver failure to name but a few. I really need to do something though as strict diet only brings them down slightly.

Anyone here ever been on statins? Any experiences to share?

Firstly, my thoughts are with Steve's family & we all owe a lot to him for what he has done for MTB'ing in the UK. Secondly, loosing our apparently fit fellow bikers seems to be a too regular occurrence over recent years but this may be due to the fact that we are in communication with a greater number of people now. Thanks to the OP for opening awareness of potential problems that lie hidden & if this kickstarts some check-ups that find some issues this will help lessen the seemingly growing list. Having a search around the interweb on "cardiac death at exertion" shows numerous medical reports have targeted this area with previously un-diagnosed, mainly arterial blockage, issues being the highest occurrence of cause in males over 35. Also mentioned earlier, the reports confirm the girls do not show to have as many incidents as blokes. It's too late for some, but is it time to get an article written to collate these reports into language we all understand, the data seems to be out there, just us non-medical types need it in plain English. How about STW leads the way?

I [b][i]think[/i][/b] this article ( http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/107/1/e2.full.pdf+html) is free to view and is an excellent summary of the cardiovascular effects of exercise. It was published in Circulation (virtually the most highly respected journal in cardiology) about a decade ago but the main points still hold true. If you can't access it and would like a copy, I can email it to you.

These are the main risk factors for heart attacks (in no particular order):
Smoking
Family history of heart attack/angina in a first degree relative under 65 years old
High cholesterol or triglycerides (can be genetic or lifestyle related)
Diabetes (type 1 or 2)
High blood pressure
Age (being older)
Gender (being male, although women catch up after the menopause)

Some of those you can do something about, some you can't. And some people will be more or less affected by specific risk factors. It's not an exact science.

If you want to calculate your personal risk of a heart attack, try the new risk score released this month at http://www.jbs3risk.com/ . As you can see, it's important to know your cholesterol, blood pressure and whether you have diabetes. So, if you think you may be at risk, it's worth getting those checked at your GP at some point.

Timely reminder that I need to stop putting off my check up.

Silly really when my son has a congenital heart condition & mum's had 2 heart attacks in the last 18 months or so. On his consultant's advice I tend to ride with an HRM on but that can only tell me when it's happening rather than prevent it.

OP's advice is spot on - I discovered a few things when first being checked out 10 years ago, not least a high cholesterol level, and have learnt the kind of things to look for to minimise risk etc. It amazes me that any cardiologist you speak to will tell you that a vast majority of patients they see had noticed something odd/unusual/weird prior to their MI but had ignored it because they didn't consider a link to their heart.

A quick check up & frank discussion with a Dr could be seriously beneficial to us all.

Thanks for the thread J-M.