Key result
SCD strikes ~1 in 50,000 athletes yearly, disproportionately affecting males, black athletes, and basketball players.
Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of medical death in athletes, with specific demographic subgroups at higher risk.
May guide risk stratification in athletes; leaves open optimal screening and prevention strategies.
#### The bottom line Sudden cardiac death is defined as an unexpected death, occurring usually within one hour from onset of symptoms in cases where the death is witnessed and in unwitnessed cases within 24 hours of the individual last being seen alive and well.1 Sudden cardiac death in athletes is the leading cause of medical death in this subgroup, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 50 000 to 1 in 80 000 athletes per year, although a wide range has been reported, from 1 in 3000 in some subpopulations to 1 in 1 000 000.2 Males, black or African Americans, and basketball players seem to be at a higher risk than other subgroups.2 #### Sources and selection criteria We searched PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews using the search terms “sudden cardiac death” and “athletes”. To ensure that we represented a diversity of opinion worldwide, particularly on preparticipation screening, …
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Semsarian et al. (2015) conducted a review in Sudden cardiac death in athletes. Sudden cardiac death in athletes has an estimated incidence of 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 80,000 per year, with males, black athletes, and basketball players at higher risk.
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