The Athletic Heart and the Ramin Manshadi Heart Program
Dr. Manshadi is a sports cardiologist and is the team cardiologist for the Sacramento Republic professional soccer team. He is also the consultant for University of the Pacific athletes with cardiac issues. He has also served as faculty and co-chair at the national American College of Cardiology annual meeting discussing cardiac issues regarding athletes.
Exercise not only helps us feel better and look better, but in fact it helps shape up our cardiovascular system as well. The heart becomes very efficient in its function and the arteries become healthier. Regular exercise helps improve hypertension and even delay diabetes. This is why we need to be engaged in routine exercise. My definition of an athlete is anyone who does routine exercise whether it is at the professional level or basic level. In general, exercise can induce and bring to light hidden cardiovascular disease states. If the athlete is older, he or she may have hidden underlying coronary artery disease that can suddenly manifest itself in sudden cardiac arrest. If the athlete is younger than 35 years of age, there may be hidden underlying structural heart disease, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease, that can lead to sudden cardiac death.
My advice to all who are athletes is to be a smart athlete. Know your body. If you have any symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath that is beyond normal, sudden passing-out spells, feeling of palpitations with or without exercise, dizziness, a family history of heart disease or sudden death, then make sure you ask for assistance from a physician who is well-versed in the field of cardiovascular medicine. If you are female, you should be aware of heart attack symptoms in women, which are not the same as symptoms in men.
The AED program
Visiting Dr. Allison and Sports Cardiology Program at Mayo Clinic
What can you do to help? Placing automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools can significantly reduce the chance of dying from sudden cardiac death. Given that the educational system is going through tough times and cannot afford to do this, Dr. Manshadi is utilizing various avenues to raise awareness and funds to be able to make this a reality. Dr. Manshadi originally thought of this after he noted that there were two SCDs within a month in the Sacramento high schools; this along with the push from the American College of Cardiology president's message for "The Year of the Patient," lead to a very successful dinner symposium with elite athletes, high school through university representatives, and the media.
The following year, in collaboration with Dameron Hospital and Saint Jude Medical, Dr. Manshadi was able to donate 8 AEDs to the local high schools.
To schedule an appointment for an athletic heart evaluation, please call our Stockton, California cardiology office at (209) 944-5530 or use our online Appointment Request Form. Our heart disease prevention patients come to us from Stockton, Manteca, Brentwood, Antioch, Lodi and surrounding communities.
CMA did a feature on Dr. Manshadi’s work
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