Long-term marathon running linked with increased coronary calcification

[Heartwire, March 23, 2010] Long-term marathon training and racing might not be as good for the heart as some runners think, a new study suggests. Researchers have shown that long-term marathon runners, those who have completed at least 25 marathons over the past 25 years, have increased coronary calcium and calcified plaque volume.

Presenting the results of the study at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2010 Scientific Sessions, senior investigator Dr Robert Schwartz (Minneapolis Heart Institute, MN), said that at least three runners have died this year during marathons, and three runners died during the 2009 Detroit Marathon, a race that included nearly 4000 finishers.