Sudden death in athletes

Sudden death in young athletes.

The causes of sudden and unexpected death in 29 highly conditioned, competitive athletes, ages 13-30 years, are summarized. Sudden death occurred during or just after severe exertion on the athletic field in 22 of the 29 athletes. Structural cardiovascular abnormalities were identified at necropsy in 28 of the 29 athletes (97%), and in 22 (76%) were almost certainly the cause of death. The most...

sudden cardiac death in young athletes

Causes of sudden death in competitive athletes.

Cardiovascular diseases responsible for sudden unexpected death in highly conditioned athletes are largely related to the age of the patient. In most young competitive athletes (less than 35 years of age) sudden death is due to congenital cardiovascular disease. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy appears to be the most common cause of such deaths, accounting for about half of the sudden deaths in youn...

Sudden cardiac death in young athletes

Athletic activity is associated with an increased risk of sudden death for individuals with some congenital or acquired heart disorders. This review considers in particular the causes of death affecting athletes below 35 years of age. In this age group the largest proportion of deaths are caused by diseases with autosomal dominant inheritance such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic ...

Sudden death in athletes: an update.

The athlete projects the ultimate image of well-being in the health status spectrum. Nevertheless, exercise-related sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an uncommon, yet tragic, occurrence. Exercise-related SCD is defined by symptoms that arise within 1 hour of participation in sport. The major mechanisms involved in exercise-related SCD are related to haemodynamic and electrophysiological changes bro...