Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes is uncommon yet highly tragic, and the precise epidemiological burden is not yet established. Prevention can be achieved through preparticipation screenings and implementation of policies aimed at prompt CPR, according to a state-of-the-art-review published Jan. 8 in JACC.

Gherardo Finocchiaro, MD, PhD, et. al., review the epidemiology and causes of SCD in young athletes, which include primary cardiomyopathies, ion channelopathies and coronary artery anomalies. They also review the controversies and challenges in the identification and subsequent management of athletes with cardiac disease since incidence of SCD is variably reported and epidemiological burden differs among cohorts.

The authors note that these individuals exhibit a plethora of electrical, structural and functional physiological changes that overlap with cardiac pathology.

“Exercise prescription in young individuals with potentially serious cardiac diseases should embrace shared decision-making whilst acknowledging knowledge gaps in this setting,” they write.