What is an arrhythmia and how can it affect a footballer?

Sergio Aguero, forward of Barça, had to be substituted in the first half against Alavés after noticing chest discomfort and the medical tests to which he was subjected would have determined that he suffered a arrhythmia, a heart problem that would have already happened in a previous chapter of his sports career.

As stated in the medical encyclopedia, a arrhythmia is a heart rate or heart rhythm disorder. It can occur when the heart beats too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly and may be a sign of other heart problems. The most common arrhythmia in the general population is atrial fibrillation, when an individual has episodes of irregular heartbeat for hours and perceives palpitations in the thoracic area. In recent years there has been an increase in cases of this type of arrhythmia with the practice of endurance sports individually with prolonged training.

[+]What happened to Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero?

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The first test to detect arrhythmias it’s a electrocardiogram and there is also heart monitoring devices to identify what the problem is as a Holter, a machine that records heart rhythms continuously for 24 hours. In addition, there are also complementary tests such as stress test to see in detail the heart rate of the patient while he is subjected to a physical demand.

In the event that an individual suffers from arrhythmias, it is recommended that they perform moderate intensity exercise to avoid a sedentary lifestyle and other physical problems, but in the case of high-level athletes, a cardiology review to rule out any other type of pathology and to be able to continue with sports practice. In addition, these cardiac events will have to be monitored from time to time to check that everything is under control.

Previous with LaMarcus Aldridge

Unless doctors point to a serious pathology, the Kun Agüero will be able to continue his football career and has the case of LaMarcus Aldridge, player of the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, as a recent reference. Aldridge had to retire in the middle of last season due to an episode of arrhythmias, but the veteran player has returned this season to the slopes and performing at a good level.

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