The Haywire Heart: How too much exercise can kill you, and what you can do to protect your heart - Softcover

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Chris Case is the managing editor of VeloNews, and author of “Cycling to Extremes,” the groundbreaking VeloNews story that brought the problem of the athlete’s heart to widespread attention. He is a graduate of Colgate University and holds a B.S. in Neuroscience and also Art and Art History.

Case worked at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, conducting research on patients with schizophrenia in one of the world's largest multidisciplinary studies of the devastating disease. After moving to Colorado and conducting studies on stem-cell treatments of Parkinson’s disease at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, he made a drastic switch, enrolling in the graduate journalism program at the University of Texas at Austin, with a concentration in documentary photography. It was in Austin that he rediscovered his love of cycling, becoming a member of the university’s elite team and competing in multiple national collegiate championship races. He was the conference cyclocross champion in 2006, in his first year racing that discipline.

After receiving his master’s degree, he worked as a freelance newspaper photographer in the Denver metropolitan area. He then served as the first creative director for the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum from 2006 to 2008. Simultaneously, he shifted into the role of editor and director of photography and design of Trail & Timberline, the magazine published by the Colorado Mountain Club since 1918. As a photographer and writer, he worked for newspapers, national magazines, and national conservation organizations, and co-authored 100 Years Up High: Colorado Mountains and Mountaineers. In 2012, he joined the staff of VeloNews as the managing editor. That year he also earned silver medals at the U.S. national cyclocross championships and master’s world championships.

Dr. John Mandrola is a cardiac electrophysiologist and an active cyclist with atrial fibrillation. He works in a private cardiology practice where he specializes in heart rhythm disorders. He is Chief Cardiology Correspondent for Medscape, the leading online resource for physicians and healthcare professionals who seek medical news and expert perspectives. He is a also a regular columnist for theHeart.org and VeloNews magazine. He completed his medical training in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Electrophysiology at Indiana University. His wife is a hospice and palliative care specialist and together they have two children and a grandchild. In his free time, Mandrola was a criterium racer who retired to running after suffering two concussions during bike races.

Lennard Zinn was a member of the US national cycling team and is a lifelong endurance athlete. He has reported on major stories for VeloNews for 30 years and is the author of the world’s best-selling guide to bicycle maintenance and repair. Zinn has a degree in physics and has built custom bicycles for over 30 years.

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When it comes to exercise, there really can be too much of a good thing.

Training hard for top performance can cause wildly abnormal heart rhythms. These arrhythmias are not just frightening: They can be deadly. And they’re being diagnosed in more athletes every day.

The Haywire Heart explains in detail how and why endurance exercise can cause a variety of heart arrhythmias. It lays out your chances of developing a heart condition from the sport you love, and it tells you what you can do to prevent damage and still stay active.

Real-life case studies illustrate how endurance athletes like you are confronting the problem. A frank discussion of exercise addiction will help you assess and minimize risk. You’ll also find practical advice on how to discuss proven treatments with your doctor.

The Haywire Heart is a critically important guide for athletes. It will help you protect your heart now so that you can enjoy a healthy, active life for decades to come.

“A great resource.”—Runner’s World

“A must-read for any dedicated athlete.” —Triathlete

“Anyone who does intense or long endurance training, especially over many years, should read this book.” —RoadBikeRider.com

Chris Case is a neuroscience graduate of Colgate University. His groundbreaking article “Cycling to Extremes” brought exercise-induced arrhythmia to national attention.

John Mandrola, MD, is a leading cardiac electrophysiologist and Chief Cardiology Correspondent for Medscape. He is a runner and cyclist with a heart arrhythmia.

Lennard Zinn is a best-selling author and former member of the US national cycling team whose personal story of multifocal atrial tachycardia inspired this book.