[Myocardial infarction caused by exertion].

Myocardial infarction is the main cause of sudden death during physical exercise, particularly in subjects over 40 and may even occur in high-performance young athletes. Sports and physical activity have a beneficial effect in preventing cardiovascular diseases, but certain rules of prudence must be followed to avoid the risk of a severe coronary event. Myocardial infarction always occurs in particularly susceptible subjects with several risk factors, predominantly smoking, hypercholesterolemia, family history of atherosclerosis. Dietary factors, either before, during or after the exercise, are always found. Distribution of coronary lesions differs with age. Before 40 years, the coronary network is normal in 40% of the cases. The infarction is partially explained by platelet hyperaggregahility and coronary spasms at exercise or in the post-exercise period.