Key point: Recently, the American College of Sports Medicine issued a consensus statement stating that cardiovascular events caused by exercise are rare in adults without a medical history, and even in those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Acute cardiovascular attacks caused by intense exercise usually have warning symptoms or manifestations. At this time, exercise training should be stopped immediately and medical attention should be sought immediately.

The consensus points out that pre exercise screening can improve safety for fitness clubs and gyms. But pre exercise screening is not complicated and does not require the presence of medical professionals, but requires trained staff and appropriate supervision. This screening strategy is feasible in fitness facilities,

Including: (1) whether there is regular exercise; (2) Do you have a history of cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal diseases; (3) Identify the signs and symptoms of potential hidden cardiovascular disease.

All fitness facilities must have a written emergency plan and contingency plan, which should be regularly revised at least twice a year.

To ensure that employees are able to provide basic first aid and respond to other emergency situations appropriately and promptly, while also being able to deal with potentially foreseeable emergencies such as trauma, sudden cardiac decease, stroke, hypotension, heatstroke, etc.

Special instructions on how to handle emergency situations must also be provided, informing the location of all emergency equipment, including external defibrillators, telephones, and access points.

Regular exercise can reduce cardiovascular risk

The consensus points out that the continuously accumulating evidence suggests that even low-level exercise is beneficial for health.

Regular exercise can help reduce cardiovascular risk, but it should be noted that vigorous exercise can increase the risk of sudden cardiac decease, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and other events.

Possible triggering mechanisms include plaque rupture, acute coronary thrombosis, and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

The consensus states that situations related to exercise related cardiac events include the following four categories:

1. Cardiovascular disease: myocardial infarction, impaired left ventricular function, resting or unstable angina, severe arrhythmia at rest, severe left anterior descending artery disease and (or) obvious multi vessel atherosclerosis (occlusion ≥ 75%), hypokalemia

2. Inappropriate behavior in participating in sports training: neglecting appropriate warm-up and relaxation exercises; During exercise, the heart rate always exceeds the limit (such as violating the prescribed exercise intensity); Not exercising regularly

3. Abnormal exercise test data: low or high exercise tolerance (≤ 4 METs or ≥ 10 METs); Cardiac chronotropic damage (heart rate<120 beats/min); Impaired cardiac contractility (resulting in exertional hypotension as exercise load increases); Myocardial ischemia [angina pectoris and/or ST segment depression ≥ 0.2mV]; Malignant arrhythmia (especially in patients with impaired left ventricular function)

4. Other

Lighting up; Male; Obesity; Certain types of exercise, such as team sports like basketball and soccer, can increase the risk of sudden cardiac decease due to hyperlipidemia.

The consensus also emphasizes that once someone experiences discomfort during exercise, immediate assistance provided by non-medical professionals, such as calling emergency numbers, starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and using automatic external defibrillators, can reduce the risk of acute cardiac events and decease.

The consensus points out that the recommendations and guidance proposed by the expert group on establishing emergency policies and plans are applicable to various sports venues, including professional gyms, community entertainment venues, hotel gyms, and sports venues (such as school sports venues).