Why are footballers dying of heart problems?

[0james0]

I think people die in all sports all the time, not just football. Rugby, basketball and so on, bet there are an equal amount of deaths in those sports too.

Football has just been a little more publicised recently.

[Memphis]

Sure mate, it actually makes for shocking reading when you look up who dies doing what. Last week when the two horses got put down during and after the grand national there was the big fuss about how dangerous it is and the papers wheeled out the list of sports and who's dying doing what. you wont be surprised to know that boxing wasnt in the list of dangerous sports.

The thing is though, footballers have been dying since day dot, of course they have, but its a stone cold fact that more of them are dying for the same reason the closer we get to the present day and that strikes me as backwards, as I said they should have been dropping dead 20 years ago left right and centre given the lifestyle, these days they should be healthier than ever right?

[AdamGB]

[Master]

Coincidence and maybe better understanding of the heart so they can pick up things like heart murmurs.

[Gandalf]

I think Adam might have a point. It's no secret that some players are no angel when not playing. Coke and football are probably a nasty combination. Football used to be a working mans game and in the long ago olden days you didn't have the party rich lifestyle that seems to be all the vogue these days. Also in a game, the heart is the most likely of all things to give out and kill you. It's instant and boom it's got you. It's still quite rare considering the numbers of people that play football though. It's not as though it is a serious problem given the numbers suggested.

[Andre]

I imagine it would be just as much the aortic root valve or an aorta wall rupture more than a straight attack wouldn't it?