I spent yesterday in hospital following a 36hr bout of atrial flutter, which kicked off without warning (no prior history) and came to an abrupt end when I was cardioverted to kickstart my heart back into regular service. Perhaps more worrying than the episode itself (though that had its moments, believe me!) was the brief session with the hospital cardiologist, who was utterly shocked that I rode a bike for sometimes in excess of three hours on a regular basis (good thing we didn't get onto the turbo regime...) and has forbidden me from going anywhere near a bike pending a heart scan and second examination. While I can accept that I should stand easy until the exact details are clear, I'm concerned that medical practitioners' attitudes to exercise vary wildly. I've already been pointed to BMJ articles on atrial flutter in athletes (which are fascinating! Us cyclists!) which identify very specific causes and effects, and I want to try to ensure I get advice from someone who's got this kind of background understanding, rather than - as I suspect I will be - being told to veg out for the next two decades. Any pointers very gratefully received
