Brief recommendations for participation in leisure time or competitive sports in athletes–patients with coronary artery disease: Summary of a Position Statement from the Sports Cardiology Section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC)

• Published in: European journal of preventive cardiology 2020-05, Vol.27 (7), p.770-776
• Main Authors: Borjesson, Mats, Dellborg, Mikael, Niebauer, Josef, LaGerche, Andre, Schmied, Christian, Solberg, Erik E, Halle, Martin, Adami, Paolo Emilio, Biffi, Alessandro, Carré, Francois, Caselli, Stefano, Papadakis, Michael, Pressler, Axel, Rasmusen, Hanne, Serratosa, Luis, Sharma, Sanjay, van Buuren, Frank, Pelliccia, Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; american-heart-association; Athletes; Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems; Cardiology - standards; Cardiovascular System & Cardiology; Competitive Behavior; Consensus; Coronary artery disease; Coronary Artery Disease - mortality; Coronary Artery Disease - physiopathology; Coronary Artery Disease - prevention & control; Coronary Vessel Anomalies - mortality; Coronary Vessel Anomalies - physiopathology; Coronary Vessel Anomalies - prevention & control; exercise; Female; Healthy Lifestyle; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Humans; individuals; intervention; Kardiologi; Male; management; optimal medical therapy; physical-activity; recommendations; risk; Risk Assessment; Risk Reduction Behavior; scientific statement; Sports; sports participation; sudden-death; Vascular Diseases - congenital; Vascular Diseases - mortality; Vascular Diseases - physiopathology; Vascular Diseases - prevention & control
• ISSN: 2047-4873; 2047-4881
• DOI: 10.1177/2047487319876186

This paper presents a brief summary of the recommendations from the Sports Cardiology section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) on sports-participation in patients with coronary artery disease, coronary artery anomalies or spontaneous dissection of the coronary arteries, all entities being associated with myocardial ischaemia.1 Given the wealth of evidence supporting the benefits of exercise for primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, individuals should be restricted from competitive sport only when a substantial risk of adverse event or disease progression is present. These recommendations aim to encourage regular physical activity including participation in sports and, with reasonable precaution, ensure a high level of safety for all individuals with coronary artery disease. The present document is based on available current evidence, but in most instances because of lack of evidence, also on clinical experience and expert opinion.