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Abstract
Summary
Sudden 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.
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1 Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
2 Sports Cardiology & Chanin T Mast Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center, Atlantic Health System, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ, USA
3 Cardiovascular Performance Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
4 Sports Cardiology Program, MaineHealth Cardiology, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
5 Department of Cardiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
6 Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
7 City St George's, University of London, London, UK
8 Gragg Center for Cardiovascular Performance, Atrium Health, Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Charlotte, NC, USA
9 Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Medicine and Cardiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
10 Department of Cardiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland