If an athlete collapses, assume it is a sudden cardiac arrest until proven otherwise. Recognize and respond: 9-1-1, CPR and AED Sudden cardiac arrest can look like a seizure – so patients with unexplained ‘seizures’ should have an evaluation for underlying heart conditions. Of these warning signs, fainting or passing out during exercises is the most worrisome. But when the racing, pounding heart or shortness of breath are out of proportion to the level of exercise or one’s conditioning-there’s cause for concern. Of course, athletes are often short of breath when they are working out, and their hearts may pound. Palpitations (heart racing) for no reason.Excessive shortness of breath with exercise.Fainting or passing out during exercise.However, in some cases, there are warning signs or symptoms that an athlete may have a heart condition that puts him at risk of a sudden cardiac arrest. In most cases, sudden cardiac arrest strikes young athletes without warning. The warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest
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If EKG is included, it should be performed by a health professional knowledgeable in EKG detection of these abnormalities and with proper cardiology resources available. The “best” screening protocol is still being researched.
The addition of EKG improves detection of heart abnormalities that may increase an athlete’s risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Some medical experts are adding a screening electrocardiogram (EKG) to the standard pre-participation physical evaluation. However, this evaluation has shown limited effectiveness to detect at-risk conditions in athletes. A comprehensive medical history and physical exam is required for all young athletes before they participate in sports. No method of detecting heart problems in athletes is perfect. The rate is highest among NCAA Division I male basketball players, whose risk is 20 per 100,000 per year. For example, about 6 in every 100,000 college African American male athletes have a sudden cardiac arrest each year.įor reasons we don’t understand, the risk seems to be higher in football and men’s basketball. Males are at greater risk than females, and African American athletes are at greater risk than Caucasian athletes. When this happens it is called “commotio cordis.” Who is at risk?Ībout 1 or 2 in every 100,000 young athletes experience a sudden cardiac arrest each year. In some cases, a hard blow to the chest, for example from a baseball or hockey puck or from contact with another player, can trigger sudden cardiac arrest. Most of these abnormalities are inherited, but remain undiagnosed and may be unknown to the athlete.Įxercise can be a trigger for sudden cardiac arrest in individuals with an abnormal heart condition.īecause these inherited conditions often run in families, any athlete who has a family member who developed heart disease or died suddenly from heart disease at an early age, particularly before age 40, should be evaluated for these heart conditions by a knowledgeable physician. Sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes is usually caused by a structural or electrical abnormality of the heart. It typically strikes without warning, and unless effective emergency steps are taken immediately, death or serious disability will occur.
In sudden cardiac arrest, the heart suddenly loses its normal rhythm and stops pumping blood. And if appropriate action is not taken within minutes, the athlete will die or be left with serious brain damage.īy being aware of the causes of sudden cardiac arrest and knowing who is at greatest risk, you will take the first step in preparing to save your athlete’s life. In the midst of play or practice, the athlete suddenly collapses. In most cases, the arrest occurs with no warning. In fact, sudden cardiac arrest is the number one cause of sudden death in exercising young athletes. Every two to three days in the U.S., a young athlete dies as the result of sudden cardiac arrest.
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