Sudden Cardiac Deaths in Athletes

Context: A study into the benefits of pre-participation medical evaluation (PPME) demonstrated a drop in the incidence of SCD by 90% in young athletes from 3.6/100,000 person-years to 0.4/100,000 person-years.

About Sudden Cardiac Death

• Sudden, unexpected death due to cardiac causes or unexplained death in a structurally normal heart.
• It usually results from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) caused by arrhythmias.
• Arrhythmia refers to an irregular heartbeat, where the heart beats too fast, too slow or in an irregular pattern.

Mechanisms During Exercise

Physiological Changes: Vigorous activity increases sympathetic nervous system activity, which can trigger arrhythmias in predisposed individuals.

Risk Factors

• Pre-existing conditions: Coronary artery disease and arrhythmias.
• Lifestyle factors: Smoking history, improper training and obesity.
• Environmental factors: High-intensity exercise and increased ambient temperature.

Recommendations

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) advises pre-participation screening (PPME) and periodic health evaluations.

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