Sudden Heart Attacks Less Likely in Women

This past weekend, two veteran law enforcement officers suffered fatal heart attacks while running the Los Angeles Marathon. They demonstrate the three to four-fold increase in risk of sudden cardiac death in men compared to women. An estimated 6% to 17% of all sudden cardiac deaths in men occur during extreme exertion.

Not only are women less susceptible to heart attacks due to sudden heavy exertion, regular moderate to vigorous exercise for four or more hours a week actually reduce their risk of sudden cardiac deaths by almost 60%. Women who exercise regularly also have a much lower risk of sudden cardiac death if they over-exerted themselves unexpectedly.

So get out there and kick it!

MedPage Today, March 21, 2006