On April 8, Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City admitted a man, 35, in a deep coma after a 42km marathon. Earlier, on April 6, Hue Central Hospital treated four runners with issues during a race; one died.

In 2024, two marathon-related deaths were reported. In March, Hoa Binh General Hospital received a 40-year-old man who fell into a coma, suffered multiple organ failure, and died after a local race. A month later, Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi) treated a 31-year-old who collapsed 100m from the finish line and died despite intensive care.

Dr Vo Thi Doan Thuc, Deputy Head of Intensive Care of Cho Ray Hospital, said physical exercises are good, of which jogging is of interest to many young people. Jogging is good for cardiovascular health, helping lose weight, improve mental health, and reduce stress.

However, running can cause injuries from mild (blisters from shoe friction) to severe (joint damage, muscle inflammation, rhabdomyolysis, electrolyte imbalances). In particular, this type of exercise is dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease but do not know it, have not exercised before, overexertion can lead to heart failure, cardiac arrest, and stroke.

Doan Du Manh, a member of the Vietnam Vascular Disease Association, warned that if people try to surpass their own limits without understanding their own capability, it is blind thinking. If they continue to exercise when they have symptoms of chest pain, fatigue, and dizziness, it can be dangerous.

Many people look healthy, but they may have hidden conditions—congenital heart muscle issues, valve defects, coronary or cerebral artery problems. High-intensity, long-duration sports can be deadly for them.

Heart issues, heat stroke and cardiac shock during running can harm the central nervous system, lungs, circulation, liver, kidneys, and blood, leading to rapid multi-organ failure if untreated in a timely way. Heat stroke doesn’t just occur because of hot weather, but long-distance runners generating internal heat may also suffer from this even in cooler conditions.

Dr Nguyen Huy Hoang from the Vietnam-Russia High-Pressure Oxygen Center (Ministry of National Defense) said race organizers must set standards for medical support, security, and risk reduction.

Therr must be professional medical support ready. If a runner suffers cardiac arrest, immediate CPR, chest compression, and artificial respiration can prevent brain death.

Runners must understand their condition. They need to practice to adapt to new circumstances which helps avoid heat shock. Thuc advises safe running starts with gradual training—walking first, then slowly increasing intensity based on health. As endurance builds, then alternate running and walking. Some runners may need medical checks before joining running races.

Linh Trang