Luise Easton, 87, continues to compete in triathlons near and far from her home in Cleveland despite living with chronic health conditions, including heart issues. Five years ago, she experienced shortness of breath during workouts and made an appointment with a sports cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Doctors found that her ejection fraction—an estimate of the amount of blood the heart pumps with each heartbeat—was below normal, and she had some abnormal rhythms, signs the heart is not pumping efficiently enough to keep up with the body’s oxygen demands.
Rather than assume her racing days were over, Easton sought medical attention and now takes medications to regulate her heartbeat and keep the muscle working as efficiently as possible. Her doctors also adjusted her training regime, incorporating more recovery time and fine-tuning intensity and exercise volume. Dr. Tamanna Singh, a sports cardiologist who treated Easton, emphasized that “we know exercise helps the heart.” Easton also focuses on a healthy diet and prioritizing rest. When at age 80 she won a medal in Denmark, and again winning in Ibiza in 2023, demonstrating that targeted treatment combined with smart lifestyle choices can support continued athletic performance.
Preventability of heart disease
Heart disease is the top cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. However, a new Cleveland Clinic survey finds 1 in 4 adults don’t realize they are at risk for it, even though the vast majority have risk factors such as high blood pressure. According to Dr. Victoria Maizes, an integrative medicine expert, “close to 80% of heart disease is preventable through lifestyle changes.” Key factors include not smoking, diet choices, timing of eating, exercise and movement, and stress management.
Maizes points to a study finding heart-health benefits of time-restricted eating, which limits eating to about 10 hours each day. She notes that preventive screenings mandated for coverage by the Affordable Care Act—including cancer screenings, blood pressure, cholesterol and mental health screenings—are typically available with no out-of-pocket costs. For those at risk of heart disease, more specialized testing is available, including blood tests measuring apoB and lipoprotein(a), which provide detailed assessment of cardiovascular risk and metabolic health, though these typically require out-of-pocket payment.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.wesa.fm/national-international-news/2026-02-02/heres-how-this-87-year-old-triathlete-keeps-her-heart-strong