Study finds long-term endurance exercise is associated with enlarged aorta
Study finds a high percentage of veteran endurance athletes — 20 to 25 percent — had aortas larger than the upper limit of clinical normality.
Aaron Baggish, MD
Aaron Baggish, MD
Director, Cardiovascular Performance Program
Director, Cardiovascular Performance Program Fellowship
Director, Cardiovascular Performance Program Fellowship
About Aaron Baggish, MD
Dr. Aaron Baggish is the Director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center. He serves as team cardiologist / physician for numerous athletic organizations including US Soccer, US Rowing, Harvard University Athletics, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, New England Revolution, and is medical director for the BAA Boston Marathon.
Dr. Baggish received his medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and then completed internal medicine training and cardiovascular fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital. His on-going research focuses on heart function and heart disease in athletic individuals. He is the Director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program, a Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center program that provides clinical care and exercise testing for active individuals. Dr. Baggish is medical director for the Boston Marathon and serves as team cardiologist for the New England Patriots, the Boston Bruins, the New England Revolution, US Men's and Women's Soccer, and US Rowing.
Departments, Centers, & Programs:
Clinical Interests:
- Sports Cardiology
- Athlete's heart
- Anabolic steroids and heart disease
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- High altitude travel and heart disease
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Cardiac Unit Associates
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114-2696
Phone: 617-643-7117
Fax: 617-643-7222
Medical Education
- MD, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
- Residency, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
American Board Certifications
- Cardiovascular Disease, American Board of Internal Medicine
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna Health Inc.
- AllWays Health (NHP) - ACD
- AllWays Health (NHP) - PBO
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Blue Care 65
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Indemnity
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Managed Care
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Partners Plus
- BMC HealthNet Mass Health MCO/ACO
- Cigna (PAL #'s)
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Fallon Community HealthCare
- Great-West Healthcare (formally One Health Plan)
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - ACD
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - PBO
- Health Care Value Management (HCVM)
- Humana/Choice Care PPO
- Maine Community Health Options (MCHO)
- MassHealth
- Medicare
- Medicare - ACD
- OSW - Maine
- OSW - New Hampshire
- OSW - Rhode Island
- OSW - Vermont
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS)
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- Unicare
- United Healthcare (non-HMO) - ACD
- United Healthcare (non-HMO) - PBO
- Well Sense Pediatrics
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Baggish overseas research and the Cardiovascular Performance Program. The CPP research team focuses on studying cardiovascular adaptations to exercise as they apply to health, disease, and human performance.
Publications
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View my most recent publications at PubMed
Select Publications:
- Baggish AL, et al. Training-Specific Changes in Cardiac Structure and Function: A Prospective and Longitudinal Assessment of Competitive Athletes. J Appl Physiol. 2008
- Baggish AL, et al. The Impact of Endurance Exercise Training on Left Ventricular Systolic Mechanics. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2008
- Baggish AL et al., Cardiovascular Screening in College Athletes With and Without Electrocardiography A Cross-sectional Study. Annals of Internal Med. 2010
- Kim JH, et al., Baggish AL. Cardiac Arrests during Long-Distance Running Races. N Engl J Med. 2012.
- Weiner RB, et al. Baggish AL. Blood Pressure and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy During American Style Football Participation. Circulation. 2013
- Zilinski J, et al., Baggish AL. Myocardial adaptations to recreational marathon training among middle-aged men. Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. 2015
- Baggish AL, Weiner RB, Kanayama G, Hudson JI, Lu MT, Hoffmann U, Pope HG Jr. Cardiovascular Toxicity of Illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use. Circulation. 2017