LSA & LMI 14.01.2025

After a welcoming drinks reception, Prof Rob Cooper gave a fascinating lecture focussing on identifying and quantifying risk in patients with HOCM and other cardiomyopathies, managing the risk and safety netting. He then described the prevalence of predisposing conditions in athletes which may put them at risk of arrythmias as well as the process of hypertrophy in cardiac muscles in athletes and how this is differentiated from pathological cardiomyopathies. On the subject of screening (patients and athletes) he described the usefulness of non invasive investigations such as ECG and the importance of subtle changes (I think we all learnt something new here) and ECHO as well as exercise ECHO in identifying those people in whom further investigation is warranted. He outlined the risks in particular of life-long endurance athletes, but emphasised the importance of engaging in regular moderate exercise for health reasons. There were plenty of questions at the end of the lecture which was followed by a very sociable evening meal upstairs.