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Specialized screening to reduce sudden cardiac death in young athletes
Thesis

Specialized screening to reduce sudden cardiac death in young athletes

Lindsay B. Garito
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Drexel University
Jun 2012
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-4014
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Garito_Lindsay_2012418.14 kB
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Garito_Lindsay_2012_Suppl1479.03 kB
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Abstract

Athletes Sudden Cardiac Death Public Health
Background: Young adults that compete in high school and collegiate athletics have been identified as a group that is at an increased risk of experiencing sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to underlying and undetected cardiovascular abnormalities. SCD in athletes usually occurs without any warning signs or symptoms and currently secondary prevention strategies to reduce loss of life are inadequate. Identifying individuals who may have an underlying cardiovascular abnormality that may result in SCD is often the only way to prevent death. How to screen athletes for underlying cardiovascular conditions is debated in both the United States and internationally. The controversial component of athletic pre-participation screening exam is whether or not electrocardiograms (ECG) should be included for all athletes, some athletes, or not at all. Methods: In order to assess the feasibility of an athletic screening program that includes an ECG, a systematic analysis of the literature was conducted to identify the benefits and obstacles to supplementing the standard physical exam and family history pre-participation screen with an ECG. Results: Mass screening of athletes with ECGs is expensive and often times unreliable. Factors that are most frequently referenced when considering the inclusion of ECGs in mass pre-participation screening programs are accuracy, cost-effectiveness, ethical consequences to athletes and their communities, and provider infrastructure to conduct mass screening. Conclusion: In order to accurately identify athletes that may be at an increased risk of SCD due to participation in competitive athletics, it is essential to tailor screening programs that include ECGs to high-risk subgroups and incorporate prevention strategies at multiple levels.

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