Cardiovascular complications can arise in the human body and these complications may eventually lead to loss of life and key talents in the world of sport. Below are some of the major causes of cardiovascular arrest:
Causes of Cardiovascular Arrests
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): Caused when there is a narrowing of the coronary arteries which reduces the flow of blood to the heart.
Heart Failure: This situation occurs when the body can’t receive enough blood from the heart pump.
High Blood Pressure: When the blood pressure is too high, heart damage, kidney, and stroke complications can arise.
Cardiomyopathy: This affects the heart muscles and gives an uprise in complications.
Atherosclerosis: A buildup of plaque in the arteries that may lead to hardening and narrowing.
Congenital Heart Disease: This is a birth health defect that often affects children.
Tragic Stories of Some World Promising Talents
Sam Okparaji: Okparaji, born on May 19th, 1964, was a Nigerian professional footballer who played international football for clubs like Dinamo Zagreb, Yugoslavia ( previously consisting of 7 countries like the present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia). His death occurred during a World Cup Qualifying match played against Angola. He collapsed on the field of play in the National Stadium, Lagos due to a previous non-diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition.
Marc-Vivien Foe: Marc-Vivien Foé is a compatible defensive midfielder with great skills. He played professionally in European clubs like Lens, Westham United, Lyon, and Manchester City. Marc-Vivien Foé died on 26th June 2003 while on national duty due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Antonio Puerta: Antonio José Puerta Pérez was born on 26th November 1984 in Seville Spain. He represented the Spanish U21 and U23 youth teams, the Men’s national team, and also the Sevilla youth and senior teams respectively. Antonio died of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in 2007 after suffering from a series of cardiac arrests.
Miklos Feher: Hungarian footballer Miklós “Miki” Fehér a promising and rising football star, also was affected by this deadly arrest. In 1998, he was signed by FC Porto and loaned to clubs like Salgueiros and Braga. He died of a cardiac arrest during a match between Vitória de Guimarães and his team Benfica in Guimarães.
Hank Gathers: Hanks was another star in the world of basketball. Being diagnosed with what was reportedly known as an abnormal heartbeat, he collapsed and was placed on medications. Gathers returned to the but collapsed again for the second time during the 1990 WCC tournament semifinals (1990 West Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament).
Training Plan to Help Improve Cardiovascular Endurance as Athletes
Aerobic Exercises: These exercises include brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, and rope skipping. It is recommended to carry out at least any of these exercises at least 30 minutes per day and it should be for 5 days in a week.
Resistance Training: Resistance training helps in the control of fats to prevent obesity. These exercises will curb cholesterol in the system and they include Hand weight lifts, Dumbbells, Barbells, weight machines, push-ups, squats, and chin-ups. Carrying these activities at least 2 non-consecutive days per week will help.
Stretching, Flexibility, and Balance: These three are activities that will help to supplement both aerobatic and resistance training exercises. The body joints become free from pains, severe cramping pains will be reduced, and any other muscular issues can be avoided through stretching, flexibility, and balance exercises.
The robust benefits of carrying out exercises in a regular pattern every day of our lives cannot be overemphasized. Adopting this Strategy will help prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular arrests. Extra calories are burnt and the body weight decreases and this in turn will cause a decrease in the deposits of fats in the body, which may accumulate and cause blockage to the heart.
