Sudden death in athletes.
Sudden cardiac death in an athlete is a rare and heartrending event, often occurring in the absence of warning symptoms. The causes of sudden cardiac death in athletes are age dependent and demonstrate a degree of geographical variation. Pre-participation screening is recommended by both the European Society of Cardiology and the American Heart Association although there is no consensus regarding the utilisation of an electrocardiogram. This article will review the aetiology of sudden cardiac death and will present the evidence for pre-participation screening.
The Heart Hospital, University College London.
Vimal
V
Patel
Perry
P
Elliott
D000367:Age Factors; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D056352:Athletes; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult