Besian Idrizaj

[Bring Back Ronnie Moore]

Liverpool are mourning the loss of former striker Besian Idrizaj, who died of a heart attack this morning.

 

The 22-year-old spent three years at Anfield after signing from LASK Linz in the summer of 2005 but failed to make a senior appearance for the Reds and joined German side FC Eilenburg, following loan spells with Luton Town, Crystal Palace and Wacker Innsbruck.

 

Reports in the attacker's native Austria claim that he died in the early hours of Saturday morning at the family home.

 

Hailed as one of his nation's most promising players, Idrizaj arrived on Merseyside on the back of a glittering U17 European Championships in 2004 but a series of health problems led him to collapse on a number of occasions and restricted his short-lived career.

 

Following his move to Innsbruck, he moved to Blackburn Rovers before making just three appearances for Championship outfit Swansea City last season.

 

Whilst he never made a lasting impression on Kopites, some supporters will have fond memories of his 23-minute hattrick in a pre-season friendly against Wrexham in July 2007.

 

No one from Liverpool Football Club was available for comment at time of going to press.

 

Source - http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverp...art-attack.html

 

 

You all might remember him as that player we frantically tried to sign on loan on transfer deadline day January 2008. He agreed to join us then changed his mind. Terrible, at that age. 22 year olds shouldn't drop dead of heart attacks. RIP

Edited May 15, 2010 by Bring Back Ronnie Moore

[RobOAFC]

RIP

[rudemedic]

Source - http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverp...art-attack.html

 

 

You all might remember him as that player we frantically tried to sign on loan on transfer deadline day January 2008. He agreed to join us then changed his mind. Terrible, at that age. 22 year olds shouldn't drop dead of heart attacks. RIP

 

This is sad RIP.

 

But when you say 22 year olds shouldn't drop dead of a heart attack you are right but it does happen. Eardley's brother (Sean was it) had heart trouble, Marc Vivien Foe died of a heart problem (probably the same one Idrizaj died of- HOCM (essentially his heart is too big and doesn't pump properly)). I'm amazed the number of professional sportspeople (often its a footballer) who have died from a heart attack (or have had trouble with thier heart) and yet echocardiograms (which pick this thing up quite well) are not routine in footballer's medicals (and IMHO they should be)

[RobOAFC]

and yet echocardiograms (which pick this thing up quite well) are not routine in footballer's medicals (and IMHO they should be)

Given the number of deaths in sport from heart problems, these machines (i think they are, no good with medical science?) should be used to check players at end and start of every season (at least)

 

 

[RoyleArmy]

my thoughts are with his family, friends and team-mates at this time.

 

Rest In Peace shocked to see a 22 year old lad died.

[lookers87]

 

swansea

 

very sad

[dkenyonqfc2]

This is sad RIP.

 

But when you say 22 year olds shouldn't drop dead of a heart attack you are right but it does happen. Eardley's brother (Sean was it) had heart trouble, Marc Vivien Foe died of a heart problem (probably the same one Idrizaj died of- HOCM (essentially his heart is too big and doesn't pump properly)). I'm amazed the number of professional sportspeople (often its a footballer) who have died from a heart attack (or have had trouble with thier heart) and yet echocardiograms (which pick this thing up quite well) are not routine in footballer's medicals (and IMHO they should be)

is this something that can just come on or is it something your born with

[Ernie For England]

Sad news. RIP.

[rudemedic]

is this something that can just come on or is it something your born with

 

Its sort of a combination (as far as I understand it)

If a normal person heart (muscle) size is x

A normal person who trains a lot (thus making the heart bigger) their heart is x+y (which isn't dangerous)

A non sportsperson with HOCM their heart is x+z (where z is normally bigger than y) (which is quite dangerous)

A sportsperson with HOCM thier heart is x+y+z (which is very dangerous). HOCM is gentically linked and is dominant in its inheritance (so if a parent has it you would be quite lucky not to have it).

 

This is where the problem arises is that a person with HOCM will have very good cardiovascular fitness (so are often quite good at sport) so when you add on training it becomes more deadly but its not readily detectable (or can be masked by the added effects of regular training) (some top heart doctors will usally be able to notice but that's not the sort of doctor who does our medicals)- hence the need for specific tests. If you think of the heart like a balloon being blown up against a wall (ribs and what not) if you have HOCM the ballon hits the wall and can't enlarge any more (or goes pop). Its not just HOCM where an echocardiogram is useful I can think of two footballers (one of whom played for Oldham) where an echo proved the doctor's suspicions about their heart and they had life-saving treatment.

 

I wouldn't go as far as screening every footballer every year; once a lifetime ought to be enough- I'd have screened all the youngsters we just signed and would have screened any new transfer (especially if we had paid money for them)- if I KNEW they hadn't been done- but maybe that's me and I will always air on the side of caution in such matters. Its just sad IMHO that a screening test which isn't all that unpleasant and isn't very expensive to be done privately (about a grand I would guess) is not routine and it has cost at least two footballers (that I can think of- one hadn't quite made it but was close to doing so and his dad was pretty good- his sister was quite athletic too) their lives. HOCM is not common in the general population but it does seem to have increased risk amongst professional sportspeople.

[dkenyonqfc2]

Its sort of a combination (as far as I understand it)

If a normal person heart (muscle) size is x

A normal person who trains a lot (thus making the heart bigger) their heart is x+y (which isn't dangerous)

A non sportsperson with HOCM their heart is x+z (where z is normally bigger than y) (which is quite dangerous)

A sportsperson with HOCM thier heart is x+y+z (which is very dangerous). HOCM is gentically linked and is dominant in its inheritance (so if a parent has it you would be quite lucky not to have it).

 

This is where the problem arises is that a person with HOCM will have very good cardiovascular fitness (so are often quite good at sport) so when you add on training it becomes more deadly but its not readily detectable (or can be masked by the added effects of regular training) (some top heart doctors will usally be able to notice but that's not the sort of doctor who does our medicals)- hence the need for specific tests. If you think of the heart like a balloon being blown up against a wall (ribs and what not) if you have HOCM the ballon hits the wall and can't enlarge any more (or goes pop). Its not just HOCM where an echocardiogram is useful I can think of two footballers (one of whom played for Oldham) where an echo proved the doctor's suspicions about their heart and they had life-saving treatment.

 

I wouldn't go as far as screening every footballer every year; once a lifetime ought to be enough- I'd have screened all the youngsters we just signed and would have screened any new transfer (especially if we had paid money for them)- if I KNEW they hadn't been done- but maybe that's me and I will always air on the side of caution in such matters. Its just sad IMHO that a screening test which isn't all that unpleasant and isn't very expensive to be done privately (about a grand I would guess) is not routine and it has cost at least two footballers (that I can think of- one hadn't quite made it but was close to doing so and his dad was pretty good- his sister was quite athletic too) their lives. HOCM is not common in the general population but it does seem to have increased risk amongst professional sportspeople.

thankyou for that very interesting..so would you say if a young footballer had already had a heart scan or whatever test they do and was passed as normal they should be clear of this illness full stop

[OldhamSheridan]

Its sort of a combination (as far as I understand it)

If a normal person heart (muscle) size is x

A normal person who trains a lot (thus making the heart bigger) their heart is x+y (which isn't dangerous)

A non sportsperson with HOCM their heart is x+z (where z is normally bigger than y) (which is quite dangerous)

A sportsperson with HOCM thier heart is x+y+z (which is very dangerous). HOCM is gentically linked and is dominant in its inheritance (so if a parent has it you would be quite lucky not to have it).

 

This is where the problem arises is that a person with HOCM will have very good cardiovascular fitness (so are often quite good at sport) so when you add on training it becomes more deadly but its not readily detectable (or can be masked by the added effects of regular training) (some top heart doctors will usally be able to notice but that's not the sort of doctor who does our medicals)- hence the need for specific tests. If you think of the heart like a balloon being blown up against a wall (ribs and what not) if you have HOCM the ballon hits the wall and can't enlarge any more (or goes pop). Its not just HOCM where an echocardiogram is useful I can think of two footballers (one of whom played for Oldham) where an echo proved the doctor's suspicions about their heart and they had life-saving treatment.

 

I wouldn't go as far as screening every footballer every year; once a lifetime ought to be enough- I'd have screened all the youngsters we just signed and would have screened any new transfer (especially if we had paid money for them)- if I KNEW they hadn't been done- but maybe that's me and I will always air on the side of caution in such matters. Its just sad IMHO that a screening test which isn't all that unpleasant and isn't very expensive to be done privately (about a grand I would guess) is not routine and it has cost at least two footballers (that I can think of- one hadn't quite made it but was close to doing so and his dad was pretty good- his sister was quite athletic too) their lives. HOCM is not common in the general population but it does seem to have increased risk amongst professional sportspeople.

 

So, not saying this is the case in this one, what do you think is the likelihood of a rare genetic disease as opposed to dying to using too many performance enhancing drugs? How often does this (deformity) thing happen in normal life?

 

We seem to think we are exempt from drugs in football, but it can't be the case.

Edited May 15, 2010 by OldhamSheridan

[wardlelatic]

thankyou for that very interesting..so would you say if a young footballer had already had a heart scan or whatever test they do and was passed as normal they should be clear of this illness full stop

 

No, the heart is a muscle and is susceptible to infection all the time that can weaken it or change its size. Cardic test imo should be carried out every year.

 

Viral or flu can change its functioning, drugs can also play its part !

[rudemedic]

No, the heart is a muscle and is susceptible to infection all the time that can weaken it or change its size. Cardic test imo should be carried out every year.

 

Viral or flu can change its functioning, drugs can also play its part !

 

Your right but those have symptoms- and they take weeks/months to cure usually involving long hospital stays and an ECHO- anyone who is asymptomatic provided they aren't taking certain drugs ought to be fine- but doing one might be a good way of catching the drugs cheats.

 

It could be that is what has happened in this case but if he wasn't under the weather then its unlikely

Edited May 16, 2010 by rudemedic

[rudemedic]

So, not saying this is the case in this one, what do you think is the likelihood of a rare genetic disease as opposed to dying to using too many performance enhancing drugs? How often does this (deformity) thing happen in normal life?

 

We seem to think we are exempt from drugs in football, but it can't be the case.

 

The approximate prevalence of HOCM in the population is 1 in 500- its not that rare (its apparently the most common inherited cardiac abnormality) only problem is its "masking" ability- it will often seem like a heart attack and unless you dig a little bit deeper (which isn't always done) you won't find out the truth. Its like if you heat hooves in this country its a horse but if you hear hooves on the plains of Africa its probably a zebra. I'm not saying it wasn't drug related but I presume he's going to have a post-mortem and the answers will be known (might not get revealed but someone will know).

[leeslover]

So, not saying this is the case in this one, what do you think is the likelihood of a rare genetic disease as opposed to dying to using too many performance enhancing drugs? How often does this (deformity) thing happen in normal life?

 

We seem to think we are exempt from drugs in football, but it can't be the case.

I don't think football lends itself to performance enhancing whatnots in the same way as athletics, cycling or snooker, for example. Lots of them take creatine now (increases ability to gain muscle bulk and improves recovery between spells of explosive exercise, so your muscles are ready to sprint again sooner) but that's not illegal at the moment (I used to take it back when I did exercise). Footballers don't generally want to get massive and they could never get away with taking any sort of upper 40 times a season. I suppose blood doping could help them run around a bit more but again not sure this is practical when playing once or twice a week. Doesn't leave much really, maybe things to get back from injury sooner?

 

EDIT - forgot to say that I knew he had had some connection with us, very sad news

Edited May 16, 2010 by leeslover

[OldhamSheridan]

I don't think football lends itself to performance enhancing whatnots in the same way as athletics, cycling or snooker, for example. Lots of them take creatine now (increases ability to gain muscle bulk and improves recovery between spells of explosive exercise, so your muscles are ready to sprint again sooner) but that's not illegal at the moment (I used to take it back when I did exercise). Footballers don't generally want to get massive and they could never get away with taking any sort of upper 40 times a season. I suppose blood doping could help them run around a bit more but again not sure this is practical when playing once or twice a week. Doesn't leave much really, maybe things to get back from injury sooner?

 

EDIT - forgot to say that I knew he had had some connection with us, very sad news

 

 

I would guess being able to run around like Ashley Cole for a whole game would be very beneficial for players with limited ability. All you have to do is look at Glen Johnson to realise running alot gets you millions. Which brings in EPO type drugs.

 

I'm not saying there are cheats about (well I am), but the ability to get away with it is there. Look at cycling. They pretty much know they are going to get caught, and still do it. How many footballers get caught? Has anyone got done for anything other than coke yet over here?

[futchers briefs]

Drink beer and eat plenty of chips and curries - you'll be reet!

[wardlelatic]

Your right but those have symptoms- and they take weeks/months to cure usually involving long hospital stays and an ECHO- anyone who is asymptomatic provided they aren't taking certain drugs ought to be fine- but doing one might be a good way of catching the drugs cheats.

 

It could be that is what has happened in this case but if he wasn't under the weather then its unlikely

 

 

You can have a viral flu strain one week, train or play the same week without show the full symptoms, René Herms and a few Swedish cross country athletes who all died in the 50's due to competing with viral strains and the common flu.

 

Several congenital cardiovascular structural abnormalities are often taken to be the cause of sudden death from fibrillation.

 

1. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (50%). (a thickened heart muscle without accompanying high blood pressure)

2. Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia.

3. idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy,

4. coronary artery anomalies,

5. premature atherosclerosis, and

6. Marfan syndrome

 

All these adnormalities can lay undetected for years and exercise as a common precipitant to many causes of Young death syndrome... It has been known for cases of people dying in the shower, at their desk.. Making Lovvvveeeeee.... all from an increased tachycardia rythum while an infection or adnormality is present

[rudemedic]

You can have a viral flu strain one week, train or play the same week without show the full symptoms, René Herms and a few Swedish cross country athletes who all died in the 50's due to competing with viral strains and the common flu.

 

Several congenital cardiovascular structural abnormalities are often taken to be the cause of sudden death from fibrillation.

 

1. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (50%). (a thickened heart muscle without accompanying high blood pressure)

2. Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia.

3. idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy,

4. coronary artery anomalies,

5. premature atherosclerosis, and

6. Marfan syndrome

 

All these adnormalities can lay undetected for years and exercise as a common precipitant to many causes of Young death syndrome... It has been known for cases of people dying in the shower, at their desk.. Making Lovvvveeeeee.... all from an increased tachycardia rythum while an infection or adnormality is present

 

You can be unwell with the flu/other viral illness and then play/train and come into problems (did the blokes above die from heart problems or other?) but if you had a virus affecting the heart you will know about it and will be more unwell than the flu (it will take longer to get better for a start).

 

As for your list, 1.) Its what i'm talking about.

2.) Like the name suggests its arrhythmic- therefore ought to get picked up on a standard ECG as well as the heart rate monitors that players routinely wear for training (which I think are a simplified version of that)- these people will be very lucky to pass any medical

3.) Same process as 1

4.) Would cause problems but would be picked up with an ECHO

5.) If they don't have high cholesterol I'd be surprised- and that's picked up in a blood test (may not be done routinely in football medicals)

6.) I can suspect Marfan's a mile off- they are really lanky (we are talking 6ft6+) have long fingers and some other stuff (reallly bad eyesight) would definately be an issue for Basketball but not so much for football

 

With regard to your virus theory it could be but like I said he'd have been unwell for a bit and its the sort of thing that gets picked up on an ECG and possibly a heart rate monitor and HOCM is much more common. I'm not sure when ECGs came in but I would wager in 50s Sweden they weren't common enough for someone like that to get their hands on them and would need a doctor. Nowadays I would expect every decent football club to have one and the physios ought to be able to read them.

[rosa]

This is sad RIP.

 

But when you say 22 year olds shouldn't drop dead of a heart attack you are right but it does happen. Eardley's brother (Sean was it) had heart trouble, Marc Vivien Foe died of a heart problem (probably the same one Idrizaj died of- HOCM (essentially his heart is too big and doesn't pump properly)). I'm amazed the number of professional sportspeople (often its a footballer) who have died from a heart attack (or have had trouble with thier heart) and yet echocardiograms (which pick this thing up quite well) are not routine in footballer's medicals (and IMHO they should be)

Aren't they? I thought it was compulsory for all players to have screening? I work at a specialist heart hospital and Liverpool and Everton send all their young players to us for echos. Is it only done in the premiership, or only done for young players when they turn professional?

 

The fact that Idrizaj had health problems and had collapsed in the past is pretty worrying - it'd be awful if it turned out he had a problem that should have been picked up and treated. Very sad news. RIP.

[GuyGermanLatic]

Poor guy. Only 22-years-old, too. It's a shame the people die so young, football player or not.

 

Möge er in Frieden ruhen.

[Nohairdontcare]

R.I.P.

[rudemedic]

Aren't they? I thought it was compulsory for all players to have screening? I work at a specialist heart hospital and Liverpool and Everton send all their young players to us for echos. Is it only done in the premiership, or only done for young players when they turn professional?

 

The fact that Idrizaj had health problems and had collapsed in the past is pretty worrying - it'd be awful if it turned out he had a problem that should have been picked up and treated. Very sad news. RIP.

 

Nah- I don't think so. I think every footballer will get an ECG but not an ECHO- wasn't Idrizaj a Liverpool youngster anyway? Maybe its something they've implemented recently? Or maybe it hasn't filtered down to our level yet?

[fogeats]

Isn't HOCM the reason Sean Eardley had to retire from pro football? I seem to remember it being something to do with his heart as he was seen as as huge prospect then his bro came through and everyone forgot about him.

[bluearmyof1]

As I understand it premier league clubs pay for their young players to have an echo but this is certainly not universal throughout the professional game.

 

Also although the incidence of HOCM may be 1:500 this is misleading as to how many professional footballers may have this condition since the majority of sufferers will have a severely limited exercise tolerance, precluding employment as a professional footballer. (Well perhaps not at Latics)

 

And rudemedic I should not be so overconfident in your diagnostic skills as to think you would pick up all or most Marfan's syndrome. You may find surprising the number of people who have their Marfan's diagnosed by incidental finding of aortic root dilatation on echo.

 

As to viral myocarditis, as it is by definition transient any echocardiographic signs are unlikely to be picked up on an interval echo as it is likely to take place while not suffering form the illness. You are likely to be too unwell to be playing football (although sudden cardiac death has been reported). Also I am not aware that it is much more likely to cause death to a professional footballer than any other member of the population. Especially given the chances are you would be too unwell to be playing football at the time.

 

Also to be added to our list of differentials is the unfortunate Brugada syndrome. Which would not be picked up on echo and may or may not be by ECG.