The Mumbai Marathon has always enjoyed huge support and participation from marathoners. Not just youngsters but senior citizens also join the run with full energy every year.
But what if you are a heart patient and still wish to run in the marathon? According to doctors, if you are a heart patient, then unless you are re-evaluated by a qualified cardiologist you should not participate in the marathon. Your fitness levels must be justified with proper tests. Dr Nilesh Gautam, HOD, Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai says, "Coronary artery bypass graft surgery or angioplasty patients can definitely participate in the marathon provided their recent stress test, 2D echo colour Doppler evaluation, pulse and blood pressure are certified as acceptable by the cardiologist."
Patients who have recently had a heart attack should avoid participating in the marathon at least for three months. For complete healing and healthy scar formation, it takes alm ost 2-3 months. Non-athletes or first timers need to first acclimatise and prepare themselves with brisk walks. If a one-hour brisk walk is carried out without any complaints, then slow jogging can be initiated post two weeks or so. If a person is grossly de-conditioned for effort tolerance (but has normal ECG, 2D Echo and stress test results) then brisk walks are advisable for a longer time stretch to prepare your physique for jogging and bearing stress later. Cardiac patients who wish to participate need to take all the prescribed medications in the morning at least an hour before the actual marathon run. Diabetics can skip one morning dose of oral tablet for sugar control to avoid hypoglycaemia.
Dr Gautam shares tips to follow and have a safe run at the marathon...
- Arrive at the start point at least an hour before the start time to avoid last minute anxiety and chaos.
- Consume water or any other oral rehydration fluid supplied at each water s tation along the way.
- If you experience any chest discomfort, unusual shortness of breath, nausea or giddiness during the race, stop and take rest for a few minutes. Seek medical help if the discomfort persists more than a few minutes.
- Write down your emergency contact number at the back of your running bib
Who is not allowed to run marathons?
- Those with active cardiac disease
- Those with symptoms of chest pain or breathlessness or fatigue on exertion
- Those recovering from a heart attack or open heart surgery — within 3 to 6 months
- Those with obstructive valvular or muscular conditions of the heart
- Those known to have abnormal heart rhythms brought on or worsened by exertion
- All cardiac patients should be necessarily certified fit to run by a cardiologist.
