Sports are associated w/an increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes who are affected by cardiovascular conditions predisposing to ventricular arrhythmias (VA)
SCD has substantially decreased in Veneto Italy due to the introduction of a preparticipation screening program that identifies unrecognized cardiovascular conditions
This study included 145 athletes evaluated for VA using a screening protocol of ECG, exercise testing, echocardiography, holter monitoring, and cardiac MRI
ECG was normal in most athletes (>85%)
VA were detected prevalently during exercise testing
Cardiac MRI detected right ventricular regional kinetic abnormalities (ARVD) in 9 of 30 athletes
A total of 30% of these athletes had potentially dangerous VA
In asymptomatic athletes w/prevalently normal ECG, most VA's can be identified by adding an exercise test
References
Noninvasive Cardiac Screening in Young Athletes With Ventricular Arrhythmias. Steriotis A, Nava A, et al. The American Journal of Cardiology. Feb 2013:111;4, 557-562.
