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Famed sports doctor, 48, succumbs to sudden cardiac death
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From: Obituary, The Providence Journal, April 14, 2009: “Dr. Michael Wiggins, 48, of Rhode Island, the prominent orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine doctor who died on a family trip to Colorado last week, was the victim of 'severe heart disease,' according to a statement from Joanne R, coroner of Summit County, Colo. An autopsy was performed last week."
A spokesman said, "Mike was an accomplished athlete completing many marathons, triathlons, the Providence 70.3 triathlon in 2008, the Mount Washington Hill Climb, and the 143 Mile Brewery to Brewery bike race."
The coroner said that "He had more than one blockage of the arteries surrounding the heart.”
Another account described the doctor's medical philosophy: "Wiggins was an avid cyclist and runner who applied his own perspective as an athlete to the treatment of his patients, using a holistic approach that encompassed nutrition, acupuncture and qi chong, a meditative form of Chinese martial arts, according to a former colleague and fellow triathlete."
A tragic loss, but unfortunately not that rare. How does it happen? A 48 year old man, a physician knowledgeable about health care issues, dedicated to fitness, dies suddenly while sitting on a ski chair lift, while on vacation with his family.
In this case an autopsy was performed, and showed multiple severe coronary artery blockages. The first question to ask is, what were his risk factors? We have no information on this from the published reports. It seems unlikely that he was overweight. We don’t know about his diet, the kinds of fat, carbohydrates, or protein he ate. Again, it seems improbable that he smoked. The other important things to know would be his blood pressure, cholesterol (LDL, HDL, Triglycerides), and blood sugar. What about family history, especially parents and siblings, any history of cardiovascular disease or death at young ages?
Any family history of inheritable cardiac abnormalities, especially those involving heart rhythm? Another not uncommon problem in athletes even in their teens or twenties is hypertrophy (enlargement) of the heart muscle (Cardiomyopathy), a cause of sudden unexpected cardiac death (SUCD).
About prevention: Although himself a physician and into fitness, we don’t know if he had routine periodic physicals including the blood chemistries which would have early identified his risk. Was he on any medications for such problems? Control of blood pressure, bad cholesterol, diabetes, not smoking, reasonable exercise, and anti-clotting agents prevent many, many tragic scenarios like this.
For cholesterol: a statin drug. For blood pressure: diuretics/beta blockers/ACE inhibitors. For diabetes: diet/weight control/medications when needed. For anti-clotting: aspirin. In some cases, more aggressive interventions such as balloon angioplasty and stents.
See your physician for prevention as well as treatment.
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