Exercise is good for our health. But if you have a familial heart condition, you may have been told the safe option is to avoid exercise because of concerns that it could trigger abnormal heart rhythms.
New guidance from leading national organizations encourages people with inherited heart conditions to be active with certain precautions. At the Penn Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, we're dedicated to helping you stay active.
Exercising with Inherited Cardiac Disease: The Penn Medicine Advantage
If you have inherited cardiac disease, you may want to keep exercising or playing sports. At the Penn Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, we can help. When you choose us for you care, you'll find:
- Evidence-based advice: Many healthcare providers tell people with heart disease not to exercise at all. At Penn, we closely follow evidence and national recommendations, which now encourage people to be active with proper precautions. In fact, Penn experts helped create the guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA).
- Shared decision making: We listen to your needs and preferences regarding exercise. We'll give you evidence and information about physical activity and heart disease. Then we partner with you to make informed decisions about sports and activity.
- Team of experts in genetic heart disease: International organizations recommend that people with inherited heart disease be treated by specialists, especially if they want to be active. Our physicians, nurses and counselors are highly trained and experienced in genetics and cardiac disease. We collaborate with Penn Medicine experts in every cardiac subspeciality for comprehensive care.
- Support for all levels of athletes: We help athletes at every stage and age to consider precautions during exercise. Our patients include high school students, college athletes, professional athletes, master's-age competitors and those who exercise simply for recreation.
Our team works closely with you to understand your personal goals. Depending on the cardiac condition and the type of activity, we may recommend:
- Developing an emergency action plan and sharing it with coaches, trainers and other key people
- Ensuring there is a lifeguard or medical personnel present when you compete
- Making sure there is an automated external defibrillator (AED) wherever you exercise
- Undergoing regular testing at least yearly to fully understand your personal risk of a cardiac event
Penn Sports Cardiology and Fitness Program
Many of our patients are athletes or very active with few symptoms who want to continue to participate and compete. Our Sports Cardiology and Fitness Program can help you design safe ways to continue to do what you love.
The Importance of Recognizing Inherited Heart Disease in Athletes and Active Patients
Sometimes changes that occur normally in the heart of someone who is athletically trained can mimic those found in inherited heart conditions.
Our experts have advanced imaging tools, genetic testing and extensive experience to help you accurately distinguish normal changes in your heart from those associated with inherited heart conditions.
Read more about diagnosis and testing for inherited cardiac disease.
Make an Appointment
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