CLEVELAND (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – First head injuries, now more? A recent study done by the Cleveland Clinic found that a group of retired NFL players were more than five times likely to have Atrial Fibrillation or AFib when compared to men of the general population.

Cleveland Clinic researchers were able to show the effects of long-term cardiac conduction in strength type sports for the first time. Eighty percent of the players diagnosed with AFib during the study did not show symptoms and did not know they had it.

The players were compared to a group of 900 presumed non-elite athletic men. The study also showed that despite the former athletes having a lower resting heart rate, they were eight-times more likely of having paced cardiac rhythms. Researchers are still searching for the clinical significance for these findings.