Scar tissue in the heart was associated with abnormal heart rhythms among healthy, long-time male endurance athletes age 50 or older, potentially increasing their risk of sudden cardiac death , according to a small study published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging , an American Heart Association journal.

An irregular rhythm originating from a ventricular heart chamber, called ventricular tachycardia , is considered one of the most serious types of abnormal heart rhythm. It is extremely dangerous and can lead to sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in athletes, mostly affecting older men.

Myocardial fibrosis-the scarring or thickening of heart muscle tissue-has previously been linked to irregular heartbeats; however, how it affects other

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