Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes: What Sport-Rehabilitation Specialists Need to Know

Objective: To describe the underlying conditions that predispose athletes to sudden cardiac death (SCD) and review signs and symptoms that indicate an athlete is at risk. Data Sources: MEDLINE, the Los Angeles Times and Triathlon Times archives, and other sources identified in the references of arti...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of sport rehabilitation 2003-08, Vol.12 (3), p.259-271
Main Authors: Evans, Christian C., Cassady, Sandra L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Athletes
Cardiovascular disease
Defibrillators
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objective: To describe the underlying conditions that predispose athletes to sudden cardiac death (SCD) and review signs and symptoms that indicate an athlete is at risk. Data Sources: MEDLINE, the Los Angeles Times and Triathlon Times archives, and other sources identified in the references of articles initially located therein. A total of 43 references were included. Conclusions: Most cases of SCD in younger athletes (≤35 years) are attributable to multiple hereditary conditions, with familial hyper-trophic cardiomyopathy being the primary cause, whereas the major cause of SCD in older athletes (>35 years) is coronary artery disease. Health-care professionals evaluating athletes should pay particular attention to past medical and family history. Items in an athlete’s screening that suggest increased risk include a history of chest pain, syncope, excessive shortness of breath, irregular heart rate or murmur, or a history of SCD in an immediate family member.
ISSN:1056-6716
1543-3072
DOI:10.1123/jsr.12.3.259