Sports Cardiology Program

When you exercise or take part in your favorite athletic endeavor, you can put intense pressure on your heart. Naturally, you want to do it safely and efficiently, whether you are a competitive athlete, weekend warrior or just starting a new fitness routine.

Our highly skilled team at the Orlando Health Heart and Vascular Institute Sports Cardiology Program is here to ensure your heart is ready for your athletic demands. Our collaborative approach pulls together the expertise of our cardiologists, exercise specialists and other clinicians. They work to support the cardiovascular health of athletes of every age, skill and activity level.

Our team uses the latest technologies and procedures from sports medicine and cardiology to prevent, identify and manage any potential heart concerns so that you can train, perform and recover with confidence.

What Is a Sports Cardiologist?

Sports cardiologists specialize in caring for the unique needs of people who maintain an active, athletic lifestyle. Sports cardiologists work with athletes who have an existing heart condition, athletes who suspect a heart condition is developing and anyone who wants assurances about the health of their heart before ramping up physical activities. You may benefit from seeing a sports cardiologist if you:

• Were recently diagnosed with a heart condition and want to stay active
• Have experienced chest pain, fainting or palpitations while exercising
• Need clearance to return to sport after a heart-related event or surgery
• Are a young athlete with a family history of heart conditions
• Have noticed an unexplained decline in your performance ability
• Are looking for guidance on how to manage exercise goals or boost your cardiovascular performance

Our team of experts will carefully evaluate your heart and your athletic goals to help you find a path that allows you to enjoy the active lifestyle you want to pursue – without risking your health.

Who Should See a Sports Cardiologist?

You don’t need to be a professional or collegiate athlete to see a sports cardiologist. Our team is ready to assist anyone with concerns about their heart and any level of physical activity. These concerns may be related to a range of risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other metabolic conditions that affect cardiovascular performance. Among the patients who seek our care:

• Athletes with a personal or family history of heart disease
• People with an existing cardiac condition, including arrhythmias or congenital heart defects
• Anyone who experiences pain, discomfort, dizziness, a fluttering feeling in the chest or other symptoms during or after exercise
• Patients recovering from heart procedures or cardiac events
• Anyone who needs an evaluation before starting a new, particularly high-intensity, fitness program
• Anyone who is participating in exercise at any level who is interested in establishing preventative cardiovascular care.

What Tests Might Be Performed?

During your first visit, our team will start with a thorough conversation about your medical history, family history and any concerns you might have. From there, your cardiologist may recommend additional tests to gain insights into your heart health and look for conditions that may need further management. Among the possible tests:

Identifying Risks and Developing a Plan

Our multidisciplinary specialists, equipped with the latest in diagnostic tools, are trained to identify a wide range of conditions that might affect your heart and your health. Your team will work with you to help you understand your unique risks and build a strategy that helps you overcome them.

Among the conditions our specialists are trained to identify:

• Hidden or inherited heart conditions: Even the healthiest of athletes can have heart problems lurking unnoticed. Among them is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition that causes heart muscle to thicken and lose its ability to efficiently pump blood. Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) come in many forms, ranging from harmless to life-threatening.
• Danger of excessive exercise: While exercise is good for your heart, extreme exercise can lead to heart damage and rhythm disorders.
• Heart conditions requiring care plans for safe return-to-play: Athletes diagnosed with dangerous heart conditions, including cardiomyopathy, often can return to their sport with the proper management plan.
• Recovery patterns and performance metrics that may affect training: Careful evaluation of your athletic endeavors – including warmup and cooldown periods – can shed light on ways to improve your heart health and performance.