19 Sep Most Deaths During Triathlons Occur During The Swim
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Harris
Kevin M. Harris, MD
Director, Fellowship Training; Director, Echocardiography
Allina Health, Minnesota
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Triathlon is a popular endurance sport which combines swimming, bicycling and running. We investigated the death rate in the triathlon since its inception in the United States in 1985 through 2016. Specifically we were able to look at the rate of death in USAT races from 2006 to 2016.
We identified 135 deaths/cardiac arrests over the time period. 85% of victims were male and victims averaged 47 years. Most deaths and cardiac arrests occurred in the swim. 15 of the deaths were traumatic occurring during the bike portion. The rate of death was 1.74 per 100,000 participants. The death rate was significantly higher for males than females and increased significantly for men > 40 years. On autopsy, nearly half of those victims were found to have significant cardiovascular disease.
MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Response: There is a risk to the triathlon. Though these events are not common, participants, particularly males > 40 years, should be aware of the risks. Most of the risk occurs during the swim.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: We are interested in improving the safety of the triathlon. A better understanding of the factors leading to successful rescue will be important moving forward. The swim portion poses inherent challenges in the abilities of rescuers to identify and transfer victims for advanced resuscitation.
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Last Updated on September 19, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD