Modern Healthcare – August 19, 2019

36 Modern Healthcare | August 19, 2019

NFL retirees score high

on risk for atrial fi brillation

A

s football fans gird for the NFL to

kick off its 100th season Sept. 5,

there’s some sobering news about the

players who have left the fi eld.

Cleveland Clinic researchers found

that a group of retired NFL players

were fi ve times more likely to have atrial

fi brillation, the most common type of

irregular heart rhythm,

which is linked to higher

risk of stroke, heart failure

and even death.

Published in the Journal

of the American Heart

Association, the study

compared 460 retired

NFL players with a control

group of 925 guys from

the Dallas Heart Study in a

similar age range.

Eighty percent of the

athletes diagnosed with

atrial fi brillation during

the study were unaware they had it

because they didn’t show the typical

symptoms.

“We found with retired NFL players,

their heart rate was a little bit slower, so

they actually didn’t get tachycardia or

fast heart rates that are typically seen

with atrial fi brillation,” said Dr. Dermot

Phelan, director of the Cleveland

Clinic’s sports cardiology center.

While the former NFL athletes had

a lower resting heart rate—62 beats

per minute versus 66 for the control

group—they had an eightfold higher

prevalence of paced cardiac rhythms

and were twice as likely to have fi rst-

degree atrioventricular block.

Other recent data shows that former

NFL players could have reduced

cardiovascular mortality, Phelan notes.

“The effects of long-term participation

in strength sports on cardiovascular

health appear to be complex and

nuanced,” he said. “Much research

work remains.” 

ICU helped prepare

nurse to compete as

ninja warrior

W

hat can working in the unpredictable ICU prepare you

for? Mady Howard says it helped train her to be a

ninja warrior.

This month, Howard, an ICU nurse at Intermountain

Healthcare’s Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George,

Utah, advanced to the “American Ninja Warrior” fi nals

in Las Vegas and the chance at winning the $1 million

grand prize. The fi rst of four episodes of the fi nals will be

broadcast 8 p.m. ET Aug. 26 on NBC.

While her collegiate career as a gymnast helped her

physically, she credits the intense experiences in the ICU

for mentally preparing her for the challenge of the reality

competition show.

Howard and other contestants don’t get to practice on

the course. Their fi rst time on the course is in front of an

audience where they must make split-second decisions in

ISTOCK

high-pressure situations, much like an ICU nurse.

“I have to rely on my training,” she said. “You have to be

fl exible and go with the fl ow.”

In the ICU, Howard has seen that life can change in

a heartbeat and that it’s anything but secure, which

propelled her to live life to the fullest. “Life can change

so quickly and it motivated me to not stand still and be

grateful for every moment I have.”

Howard said fi nding another passion outside of her

grueling 12-hour shifts has helped her become a better

healthcare provider. “Having that outlet brings me

fulfi llment. When I feel better about myself, I can take

better care of patients,” she said.

Howard isn’t the only determined athlete at Intermountain.

CEO Dr. Marc Harrison has competed in about 150

triathlons, seven of them Ironman competitions. 

ICU nurse Mady

Howard will

compete in the

fi nals, which

begin airing

Aug. 26.