title: Exercise-Related Sudden Death: Cardiovascular Evaluation of Exercisers (Part 2 of 2).
abstract: In brief: Part 1 of this two-part series of articles discussed the risks and factors associated with exercise-related sudden death. In this article the author discusses a primary goal of the cardiovascular evaluation of exercisers: to identify cardiovascular conditions that carry a risk of exercise-related sudden death. These conditions include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, coronary heart disease, congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries, and others. The evaluation process includes obtaining the patient's medical history, conducting a physical examination, and analyzing the laboratory, ECG, and echocardiography tests indicated by the initial evaluation. The athletic heart syndrome and important clinical points of certain cardiovascular conditions must be considered in the evaluation process.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Van Camp