A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has shown that the risk of dying from cardiac arrest during long-distance races has decreased by about 50% over the last 10 years, although the incidence of cardiac arrest during races has remained relatively stable.
The observational cohort study used data on U.S. marathon and half-marathon runners from 2010-2023 and compared it to historical data on race runners from 2000-2009. Marathons and half-marathons have become increasingly popular in the last 15 years. Every year, some long-distance runners suffer cardiac arrest during their races, often because they suffer from previously unrecognized cardiovascular risk factors. However, the rates of cardiac arrest and the outcomes of cardiac events in recent years are unknown. This study sought to determine the incidence and outcomes of cardiac arrest from 2010 to 2023 compared to previous years.
The results showed that rates of cardiac arrest during races were approximately the same for the two time periods; the incidence was 0.60 per 100,000 participants from 2010 to 2023 and 0.54 per 100,000 participants from 2000 to 2009. However, the rates of deaths during the two periods were dramatically different; about 0.19 per 100,000 participants from 2010 to 2023 and 0.39 per 100,000 participants from 2000 to 2009. During both periods, cardiac arrests were more common in men than women and more common in marathons than half-marathons.
The authors stated that the change in death rates was likely due to changes in the awareness of the need for emergency services available to runners during races. During the period from 2010 to 2023, most runners who suffered cardiac arrests were able to quickly receive hands-on medical care. The results of this study emphasize the importance of having emergency services and defibrillators available along marathon courses. They also emphasize the potential for improvement in the number of people who suffer cardiac arrest during races. The incidence of cardiac arrest during races has not changed over time, but this number could be lowered by recognizing individuals who are at risk before they run races, such as older individuals with unrecognized cardiovascular risk factors.
Sources: JAMA, Science Daily
