Latvian basketball player Kristaps Porziņģis recorded an increased heart rate when changing body position last season, the athlete told The Athletic in an interview, LETA reports.
Porziņģis was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which can cause severe fatigue or dizziness if left untreated. In the second half of the season, due to the yet undiagnosed condition, Porziņģis missed several games.
When lying down, Porziņģis's heart rate stabilized, but upon standing, it sometimes increased to 130 beats per minute.
"It was hard to breathe. I did everything I could to feel as good as possible, but my body wasn’t functioning the way I wanted it to," Porziņģis said.
The basketball player needs to strictly follow a diet with increased salt intake and a more structured rest schedule outside of basketball; special medications are not required for treating POTS.
On Wednesday, Porziņģis began his tenth season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing his first game with his new team, the Atlanta Hawks.
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