Exercise-Induced Hypertension, Endothelial Dysfunction, and Coronary Artery Disease in a Marathon Runner

Goel, Radha; Majeed, Farhan; Vogel, Robert; Corretti, Mary C.; Weir, Matthew; Mangano, Charles; White, Charles; Plotnick, Gary D.; Miller, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2006.09.127

« Previous Next »American Journal of Cardiology
Volume 99, Issue 5 , Pages 743-744, 1 March 2007

Exercise-Induced Hypertension, Endothelial Dysfunction, and Coronary Artery Disease in a Marathon Runner

Radha Goel, MD
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
Farhan Majeed, MD
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Robert Vogel, MD
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Mary C. Corretti, MD
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Matthew Weir, MD
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Charles Mangano, RDMS
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Charles White, MD
- Department of Radiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Gary D. Plotnick, MD
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
Michael Miller, MD
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
- Corresponding author: Tel: 410-328-6299; fax: 410-328-4382.

Received 29 August 2006; received in revised form 19 September 2006; accepted 19 September 2006. published online 12 January 2007.

Aerobic activity performed on a regular basis is 1 of several lifestyle recommendations endorsed to reduce risk of coronary disease. However, 1 potential concern of arduous aerobic activity is exercise-induced hypertension. This is the first case to our knowledge, of accelerated coronary calcification in an otherwise asymptomatic middle-aged male marathon runner devoid of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. As a consequence of exercise-induced hypertension and associated oxidative stress, improvement of endothelial dysfunction occurred after antioxidant supplementation. In conclusion, vigorous aerobic activity in susceptible individuals may promote oxidative stress and coronary atherosclerosis.