Exercise blood pressure response does not differentiate endurance athletes with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

K Janssens; T Apelland; AM Mitchell; J De Paepe; SJ Foulkes; JM Letnes; AB Sellevold; S Enger; Y Bekhuis; C Dausin; L Spencer; SJ Rowe; P D’Ambrosio; EB Parr; R Willems; H Heidbuchel; G Claessen; M Myrstad; A La Gerche; J Bogaert; K Goetschalckx; P Claus; S Van Soest; M Claeys; T Dresselaers; H Miljoen; K Favere; B Paelinck; D Vermeulen; I Witvrouwen; D Hansen; B Op’t Eijnde; D Thijs; P Vanvoorden; K Lefebvre; R Pauwels; R De Bosscher; B Delpire; S Dymarkowski; O Ghekiere; CM Van De Heyning; PL Van Herck; L Herbots; T Robyns

Journal article

Exercise blood pressure response does not differentiate endurance athletes with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

K Janssens, T Apelland, AM Mitchell, J De Paepe, SJ Foulkes, JM Letnes, AB Sellevold, S Enger, Y Bekhuis, C Dausin, L Spencer, SJ Rowe, P D’Ambrosio, EB Parr, R Willems, H Heidbuchel, G Claessen, M Myrstad, A La Gerche, J Bogaert Show all

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology | Published : 2026

DOI: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwag136

Open access

Abstract

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is more prevalent among endurance athletes than in the general population. An exaggerated blood pressure (BP) response to exercise may contribute to atrial pressure excess and AF risk. We hypothesized that higher exercise BP would be associated with left atrial enlargement and AF prevalence in endurance athletes. Methods and results: One hundred seventy-eight endurance-trained athletes, 89 with paroxysmal AF [median age 55 (IQR: 46–62 years), 92% male] and 89 age- and sex-matched athletes without AF, underwent resting echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing with automated BP measurements. Athletes with hypertension were excluded. Absolute BP respo..

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