In addressing the need for more dedicated sports and exercise cardiology education, support for providers in this field, and related policy advocacy at the state level, the ACC California Chapter – led by Chapter President Ramin Manshadi, MD, FACC, and Matthew T. Wheeler, MD – formed the ACC California Chapter Exercise Health and Sports Cardiology Committee in 2019.

This committee has since grown to include a diverse range of practitioners, from fellows to senior professors, representing different regions of the state. The group agreed upon the following guiding principles:

1. To add value to our membership by educating our members in the cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment of athletes
2. To raise awareness of exercise health to Californians, thereby reducing and preventing cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality

In line with these principles, the inaugural ACC California Chapter Sports and Exercise Symposium, directed by Kegan Moneghetti, MD, was held Feb. 28 at Stanford University. The symposium had 95 registered attendees with the keynote presentation given by Antonio Pelliccia, MD.

The committee has also invested in sports cardiology educational resources for clinicians, the first being an ECG tool. As the athletic population continues to expand, increasing numbers of practitioners, from team physicians to primary care providers to cardiologists, will be faced with the challenge of understanding ECG findings of the athletic heart.

In the sports cardiology community, our understanding of normal vs. abnormal findings on the athletic ECG continues to evolve. Thus, the ACC California Chapter Exercise Health and Sports Cardiology Committee created a tool to provide examples and resources for providers. Further educational tools and resources are in the works.

The committee invites you to reach out if you have questions or comments at sportscardio@caacc.org.

This article is authored by Elizabeth H. Dineen, DO; Heather Shenkman, MD, FACC; Gerald W. Bourne, MD, FACC; and Victor F. Froelicher, MD, FACC.