Sudden Cardiac Death in Sport
Prepared by: Dr Ralph Richards and Christine May, Senior Research Consultant, Clearinghouse for Sport, Sport Australia (formerly Australian Sports Commission)
Evaluation by: Dr David Prior, Deputy Director of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne
Reviewed by network: Australian Sport Information Network (AUSPIN)
Last updated: 6 February 2018more information concerning this content.
Introduction
Although not a universally accepted definition, Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) can be considered a nontraumatic, nonviolent, unexpected death due to cardiac causes within 1 hour of the onset of symptoms [Koester M, Journal of Athletic Training, (2001)]. This is also known as Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). The most common cause of this kind of sudden death is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Key Messages
Unexpected death due to cardiac causes is an infrequent occurrence in sport. Understanding the risk factors and management practices will help to frame appropriate policies and actions.
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Related Topics
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Critical Incident Management in Sport
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