Screening for Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young

The debate over cardiovascular screening to prevent sudden cardiac death in the young (SCDY) has fervent and well-intentioned supporters on both sides.However, this debate will continue unresolved until additional,compelling evidence is provided that either supports orrefutes the utility of screening for SCDY. In an effort to provide direction to determine what type of evidence is necessary and the best methodology to obtain such evidence, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) convened a Working Group meeting in April 2010 in Bethesda, MD. The charge of the Working Group was to develop a research agenda and identify resources to evaluate whether screening for SCDY would effectively reduce sudden cardiac death and add overall healthcare value, where value was defined as improved clinical outcomes with an acceptable cost-benefit ratio. The Working Group consisted of experts in pediatric cardiology and electrophysiology, adult cardiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, sports medicine, child psychiatry, health economics, ethics, oncology screening, and newborn screening.