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JAD and SS contributed equally.
This statement has been endorsed by the following societies: American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), Austrian Society of Sports Medicine and Prevention, Brazilian Society of Cardiology - Department of Exercise and Rehabilitation (SBC - DERC), British Association for Sports and Exercise Medicine (BASEM), Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM), European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP), European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Section of Sports Cardiology, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), German Society of Sports Medicine and Prevention, International Olympic Committee (IOC), Norwegian Association of Sports Medicine and Physical Activity (NIMF), South African Sports Medicine Association (SASMA), Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) Sports Cardiology Group, Sports Doctors Australia, and the Swedish Society of Exercise and Sports Medicine (SFAIM). The American College of Cardiology (ACC) affirms the value of this document (ACC supports the general principles in the document and believes it is of general benefit to its membership).
Introduction
Cardiovascular-related sudden death is the leading cause of mortality in athletes during sport and exercise.1–3 The majority of disorders associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), such as cardiomyopathies and primary electrical diseases (channelopathies), are suggested or identified by abnormalities present on a resting 12-lead ECG. Interpretation of an ECG in athletes requires careful analysis to properly distinguish physiological changes related to athletic training from findings suggestive of an underlying pathological condition. Whether used for the evaluation of cardiovascular-related symptoms, a family history of inheritable cardiac disease or premature SCD, or for screening of asymptomatic athletes, ECG interpretation is an essential skill for all physicians involved in the cardiovascular care of athletes.
The 2015 summit on ECG interpretation in athletes
On 26–27 February 2015, an international group of experts in sports cardiology, inherited cardiac diseases and sports medicine convened in Seattle, Washington, to update contemporary standards for ECG interpretation in athletes through development of an international consensus. This summit meeting served as the foundation for subsequent work done by the larger writing group that ultimately generated this document. The goals of the summit meeting were to: (1) update ECG interpretation standards based on new research and up to date evidence and (2) develop a clear guide to the appropriate evaluation of ECG abnormalities...