How to screen athletes for cardiovascular diseases.
The Italian screening protocol has adequate sensitivity and specificity for detection of potentially dangerous cardiovascular diseases, and substantially reduces mortality of young competitive athletes, mostly by preventing sudden cardiac death from cardiomyopathy. The results of the Italian preparticipation evaluation program have significant implications worldwide: this article addresses the efficacy and feasibility of preparticipation screening, essentially based on 12-lead ECG, as has been in practice in Italy for 25 years.
Corrado
Domenico
D
Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova Medical School, Via Giustiniani 2, 35121 Padova, Italy. domenico.corrado@unipd.it
Michieli
Pierantonio
P
Basso
Cristina
C
Schiavon
Maurizio
M
Thiene
Gaetano
G
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000379:methods*