My guest today is runner and cardiologist Dimitris Stergiou. Mr. Stergiou, with extensive experience in the field and many further trainings, has specialized for two years in Sports Cardiology at St George's University, London. His long involvement in sports, initially as a player of the basketball team of Democritus of Thessaloniki, and as long distance runner then, as well as the many years of medical experience – at the level of sports clubs and preventive cardiac checks, combined with further training in Sports Cardiology in London, led to the creation of the Sports Cardiology Clinic “CardioSports” in Thessaloniki.
With Mr. Stergiou, we will have an interesting discussion about various things cardiac issues which have a direct relationship with runners and all sportsmen in general and with his help we will try to understand the effect that sport has on the functioning of the heart.
Podcast Interview Highlights “It's a long road” with the Sports Cardiologist and runner mr. Dimitris Stergiou.
02:45 What is Sports Cardiology?
03:54 What does the Sports Cardiologist offer?
05:05 How necessary is the Preventive or pre-sport Medical Checkup? What does he consist of?
07:25 Another question from a listener friend is if some of me heart problems they can keep running.
08:23 Does exercise and running help to improve our immunity?
08:55 I have heard and read that intense strain like some intense fight or heavy training program they suppress the immune system for a short period and make us more susceptible to infections. Is this true?
11:10 Another question that raises a lot of debate is whether or not cardio-intensive races like the half-marathon, marathon, and ultra-distances are good for the heart?
14:27 Does the heart change with exercise and racing?
16:30 Are all stress tests the same and do they all work for runners?
17:50 Here I would like to ask the following: Should our workouts be done mainly in our aerobic zone, so that our heart is not burdened all the time? For example, if I have training every day and because I think that's the only way to get work done, I keep running fast, I get very tired and short of breath, and is this natural because the heart works almost every day at its maximum? I say this because sometimes I see many overweight people who try to go fast and as a result show that they are not comfortable. On the contrary, what I do and consider that I "take care" of my heart, is that my workouts are done with low pulses, except of course for something intermittent where for a short time I enter a higher heart rate. Is this approach correct?
20:40 Regarding my previous question, I hear from many that during their training, wanting to keep a steady pace, they do not pay any attention to heart rate, resulting in the sacrifice of a good time in a race, or because they want to be fast in general, putting a daily strain on their heart, often close to maximum function her.
21:45 A friend of the show asked me something that is obvious to me, but I would like to ask it to you exactly as he sent it to me. How does running help us get rid of bad habits like smoking?
24:24 Atrial fibrillation can be caused by faulty guidance from experts and intense continuous training stresses and followed by a pause for a period of time from sports activities?
28:06 What are the signs during the exercise which will lead me to cardiologist;
29:25 I would also like to ask you some questions related to the biggest issue of the day which is none other than COVID-19. I have even found that many athletes express various questions on this topic through social media. So the first question is whether and to what extent the disease from COVID-19 affects an athlete?
31:22 After the recovery from coronavirus it has been established that many, although they were slightly ill, were slow to recover. Where is this due to? Does the virus affect the heart?
34:38 How do you see the street movement in your city and in Greece by extension?
36:20 Are you doctor running? Because with all these activities and all this work do you manage to exercise yourself?
38:05 What do you think is the desired level of exercise for someone who decides to take up running after 40 for example?
39:15 What advice would you give to aspirants? marathon runners;
Cardiologist specialist Dimitris Stergiou
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website: https://dimitrisstergiou.gr/
Cardiologist Dimitris Stergiou
Address: 40 Ethnikis Amynis, Center, Thessaloniki
Phone: 2310236288
Mobile: 6944715337
E-mail: dimsterg@otenet.gr
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