• Jonathan H Kim, Matthew W Martinez, J Sawalla Guseh, Sheela Krishnan, Belinda Gray, Kimberly G Harmon, Michael Papadakis, Dermot M Phelan, Katie Stewart, Benjamin D Levine, Aaron L Baggish, and American College of Cardiology Sports & Exercise Leadership Council.
• Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: jonathan.kim@emory.edu.
• Lancet. 2024 Nov 30; 404 (10468): 220922222209-2222.

AbstractSudden cardiac arrest and death occur among competitive and recreational athletes across the entire spectrum of age, sex, and level of competition. These events are tragic, potentially preventable, and represent a global public health concern. Currently, the precise incidence of sudden cardiac arrest and death among all athletes is uncertain due to the lack of both mandatory case reporting and the infrastructure to process all cases that occur within the general population. Disparities in outcomes between Black and White athletes also exist without explanation. Causes of sudden cardiac arrest and death are age-dependent, with genetic heart conditions and unexplained cases (ie, normal autopsy) predominant among younger athletes, and coronary artery disease accounting for most cases among veteran Masters athletes. Determining best practices for prevention of primary sudden cardiac arrest and death, including preparticipation screening, remains controversial. However, secondary prevention grounded in an emergency action plan incontrovertibly represents a fundamental aspect of comprehensive cardiac care for all athletes.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

12 keywords...

hide…