Chris Hipp died July 14th. Condolences to the family and friends of a man synonymous with high-level bicycle racing in Dallas (and Texas) for many years. I always had great respect for "the Hippster", and in our few conversations found him to understand the differences between bicycle racing, recreational riding, and transportation cycling very well.
Like Jim Fixx, he died of natural causes doing what he loved... in Chris' case, going for an early morning training ride.
Rest in peace, Chris.
4 comments:
47? Natural causes?
Those terms do not belong together, except insofar as to rule out homicide or manslaughter.
If he was on anti-coagulants, he likely had a heart or other circulatory problem. Being an athlete, if he had cardiac issues at forty seven years of age, it was not "natural". There was an underlying pathology at play.
Point taken and understood.
None of us will know the cause of Chris Hipp's death until the autopsy is complete. Blood thinners are used to prevent the formation of clots, which can cause strokes and in many cases, death. A common heart disease that is thought to be manageable, is Atrial Fibrillation. A-Fib as it is referred, is an irregular heart beat caused by a malfunction taking place in the upper portion of the heart. It is described as an electrical problem causing the heart to misfire. Some Cardiologists treat the problem by restarting the heart, which is a lot like restarting your computer, the heart will normally return to its normal rhythm after the outpatient procedure is complete. Not everyone is comfortable with the procedure which can be compared to stalling an airplane's engine in mid-flight, then restarting it in time to stay airborne. Some Cardiologists do not require the restart procedure, but rather prescribe a blood thinner like warfarin sodium (coumidin), keeping a constant check on blood levels. A-Fib is thought of as manageable and only life-threatening in rare instances. Many individuals suffering from A-Fib lead normal lives. Of course Chris Hipp was a high-performance machine who's heart was asked to perform at a level few people function at. Some Cardiologists describe A-Fib as the best heart problem to have because it is manageable. If Chris Hipp was on blood thinners and got the green light from his Cardiologist to compete in competitive cycling, I suspect he may have been suffering from A-Fib.
RIP Chris Hipp. I was your friend on and off the bike. A personal obersvation made about the man was that in life he had a condition of vericose (spelling?) veins in both legs. The largest I personally ever saw on a person. I don't know if it was related to his passing. Just something I remember about him and the soooo many years of trying to compete with a man of his abilities on the bike.
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