Key result
Among 158 US university fitness facilities, adherence to AHA/ACSM emergency preparedness guidelines was low, with only 18% performing preparticipation screening and 27% conducting quarterly drills.
Why the study?
What is the level of adherence to AHA/ACSM cardiovascular emergency preparedness guidelines in recreational facilities at major US universities?
Cross-Sectional (n=158)
Yes
What is the level of adherence to AHA/ACSM cardiovascular emergency preparedness guidelines in recreational facilities at major US universities?
There is low awareness and adherence to AHA/ACSM recommendations for cardiovascular emergency preparedness, including preparticipation screening and AED drills, in major US university fitness facilities.
Signals urgent need for audits and training in university fitness centers; leaves open optimal strategies to improve adherence.
Recent American Heart Association/American College of Sports Medicine (AHA/ACSM) guidelines advocate preparticipation screening, planning, and rehearsal for emergencies and automated external defibrillators in all health/fitness facilities. The authors evaluated adherence to these recommendations at 158 recreational service departments in major US universities (51% response rate for 313 institutions queried). Many made their facilities available to unaffiliated residents, with 39% offering programs for those with special medical conditions. Only 18% performed universal preparticipation screening. Twenty-seven percent reported having 1 or more exercise-related instances of cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death within the past 5 years. Seventy-three percent had an automated external defibrillator, but only 6% reported using it in an emergency. Almost all had written emergency plans, but only 50% posted their plans, and only 27% performed the recommended quarterly emergency drills. The authors' findings suggest low awareness of and adherence to the AHA/ACSM recommendations for identifying individuals at risk for exercise-related cardiovascular complications and for handling such emergencies in university-based fitness facilities. (
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Herbert et al. (2007) conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiovascular emergency preparedness (n=158). AHA/ACSM guidelines adherence evaluation was evaluated on Adherence to AHA/ACSM recommendations for emergency preparedness. Among 158 US university fitness facilities, adherence to AHA/ACSM emergency preparedness guidelines was low, with only 18% performing preparticipation screening and 27% conducting quarterly drills.
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