Key result
A critical review of investigations supports that the most common finding at autopsy of young individuals with sudden cardiac death is a structurally normal heart, rather than hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Highlights that a structurally normal heart, likely due to arrhythmias or ion channel diseases, is the most common autopsy finding in young athletes with sudden cardiac death, emphasizing the need to refine pre-participation evaluations.
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Challenges hypertrophic cardiomyopathy primacy in young sudden cardiac death; leaves open arrhythmia-focused screening refinements.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading cause of death during exercise. While initial reports suggested that the most common cause of SCD in young athletes was due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a critical review of investigations in several populations (athletes, non-athletes, military, national, and international) supports that the most common finding at autopsy of young individuals with SCD is actually a structurally normal heart (SNH). This information is vital for sports medicine clinicians, especially with regard to the pre-participation evaluation (PPE) since cardiac death associated with a SNH is likely attributed to disorders such as arrhythmia or ion channel diseases. This comprehensive review explores the causes of SCD, along with the symptoms preceding death, which ultimately may help refine the PPE and maximize the ability to detect potentially lethal disease prior to competition.
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Asif et al. (2015) conducted a review in Sudden cardiac death. A critical review of investigations supports that the most common finding at autopsy of young individuals with sudden cardiac death is a structurally normal heart, rather than hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
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