Cardiac Screening Reduces Sudden Deaths Among Italian Athletes
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Contributed by Nicole Weaver| 04 October, 2006 02:27 GMT
The introduction of a screening program to detect hidden heart problems has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of sudden deaths among young athletes in Italy, according to research published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association.
The program requires that all athletes get a physical examination including an electrocardiogram (EKG) prior to participating in competitive sports.
Heart problems turn up in approximately 2 percent of those screened, the researchers said.
From 1979-1980 to 2003-2004, the annual rate of sudden heart death in athletes decreased by 89 percent, the study found.
During the same period, there was no significant change in the incidence of sudden death among the non-athletic population in the area.
About two dozen youths die from sudden cardiac arrest related to sports-related activities at high schools and colleges in the United States.
Very few US schools have programs similar to the one in Italy. |
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