James Taylor has been forced to retire with a serious heart condition © Getty Images
The cricket world is in shock following the news that James Taylor, the 26-year-old England batsman, has been forced to retire with a serious heart condition. Here is an outline of the condition arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a rare disease of the heart muscle.
- It is an inherited condition that is caused by a change or mutation in one or more genes. It is possible to inherit the mutation without developing the condition.
- It affects the proteins that bind together the cells of the heart muscle, causing them to become detached and for fatty deposits to build up in an attempt to repair the damage.
- The condition usually affects the right side of your heart but it can affect both sides.
- ARVC can cause abnormal heart rhythms due to the damaged and scarred muscle cells. The walls of the ventricle – one of four chambers in your heart – become thin and stretched, meaning that the heart can’t pump blood properly.
- The condition is similar to that suffered by Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton Wanderers footballer, who suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during an FA Cup tie against Tottenham in 2012.
@jamestaylor20 having life is a great option.Retirement is inevitable but for some of us it’s just earlier than expected.Enjoy life
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo