News Archives - A Heart Health Education Company

Peter Megdal on The Lynchpin Podcast

Peter Megdal PhD — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:37:34 +0000

Listen to The Lynchpin Podcast with Nora

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The Hour That Would Not End

Peter Megdal PhD — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:17:36 +0000

The heat inside the velodrome rose like a living thing, swelling from seventy-five to eighty degrees Fahrenheit as the desert afternoon pressed against the curved walls. From beneath the wooden track came the faint, steady breathing of the air-handling system—a mechanical sigh under the foundation that vibrated faintly through the frame of my bicycle. Six thousand feet above sea level, in the thin air of Aguascalientes, Mexico, I began to ride.

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Peter Megdal gets second at National Championships

Peter Megdal PhD — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:53:47 +0000

We all aspire to be winners, but what does it truly mean to be a winner? It’s often defined as someone who places first in a race or excels in a competition. However, winning can encompass much more than that.

After a week of racing at the Masters National Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I believe I emerged as a winner with finishes of 2nd, 14th, and 5th place in various events organized by USA Cycling.

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Can Diet Really Reverse Heart Disease?

Peter Megdal PhD — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 17:48:22 +0000

A Practical, Evidence-Based Q&A Inspired by the Ornish Debate
Introduction: Why This Question Won’t Go Away

Dean Ornish has claimed for decades that intensive lifestyle change—especially an almost-vegan, very low-fat diet—can not only prevent but actually reverse heart disease.

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Q&A: Atrial Fibrillation, Endurance Training, and Ablation — What Athletes Need to Know

Peter Megdal PhD — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 14:15:26 +0000

Q: Are endurance athletes really at higher risk for atrial fibrillation?

A: Yes. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in the general population, with a lifetime risk of roughly 1 in 4 adults.¹ While moderate exercise protects cardiovascular health, long-term, high-volume endurance training is associated with significantly higher AF rates. Meta-analyses show endurance athletes have about 2.5–3.6× higher odds of AF than non-athletes.

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Cardiovascular Risk Management and Training Modification for the Masters Athlete (50+) with Treated Atrial Fibrillation: An Expert Report

Peter Megdal PhD — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:08:44 +0000

Executive Summary: The Necessity of Training Modification

The management of Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) in the Masters athlete (defined generally as age 35 and above, and specifically in this context as 50+) presents a critical challenge that necessitates a nuanced shift in training philosophy. While chronic endurance training offers broad cardiovascular benefits, it is fundamentally a dose-dependent risk factor for atrial arrhythmias. For an athlete who has undergone treatment (ablation or pharmacological therapy) for Afib, continuing intense, high-volume training carries a substantial probability of arrhythmia recurrence and disease progression.

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Q&A: Are Everyday Microplastics Fueling Heart Disease?

Peter Megdal PhD — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:05:43 +0000

New research from the University of California, Riverside suggests microplastics may directly accelerate heart disease — especially in males.
Here’s what the study uncovered, explained as simple Q&A.

Q: What exactly are microplastics?

A: Microplastics are tiny plastic particles released from:

Food packaging
Clothing and textiles
Household plastics
Industrial waste

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How Does Age Affect Atherosclerosis? A Q&A Explainer

Peter Megdal PhD — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 16:55:58 +0000

Does the risk of atherosclerosis increase as we age? Yes. Atherosclerosis is considered a disease of aging. The likelihood and severity of plaque buildup in the arteries increase with age, even when other risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, or hypertension are controlled.

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Reversal of Coronary Atherosclerosis: Mechanistic Insights from Human and Primate Studies

Peter Megdal PhD — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 16:48:41 +0000

Coronary atherosclerosis can regress under defined conditions. Serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) studies show that intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction via high-intensity statins, PCSK9 inhibitors, and, in selected settings, icosapent ethyl, can shrink plaque volume. Paradoxically, the arterial lumen often remains unchanged or may even narrow due to reverse or constrictive remodeling. Complementary lifestyle trials such as the Ornish study demonstrated angiographic regression driven primarily by improved endothelial and vasomotor function.

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Peter Megdal featured in Dedham Times

Peter Megdal PhD — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:35:08 +0000

Peter Megdal sets cycling world record
Survivor of heart disease excels in shattering limits others may set for him.

[Editor's note: The following article concludes coverage in The Dedham Times of the world record Peter Megdal of Dedham holds in men's cycling. He set the new mark for ages 60-64 of 47.43 kilometers (29.47 miles) traversed in one hour on Sept. 12 at the Bicentario Velodromo in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

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