Sudden Death In Athletes: Etiology & Prevention |

ABSTRACT:

The sudden death of ayoung athlete is a tragic event that has devastating effects on families andcommunities.Despite public perception to contrary suddendeath in young athletes is exceedingly rare. Sudden death in athletes definedas -"Natural, unexpected, death within one hour of onset of symptoms andsubsequent cardiac arrest." Depending on the underlying cause, sudden death can be divided into suddencardiac death defined as sudden death from a cardiac cause, and Sudden deathdue to noncardiac causes, for example, intracranial hemorrhage, epilepsy,pulmonary embolism, or asthma. This subdivision is clinically relevant becausecardiac causes are inherited in a significant proportion, whereas noncardiaccauses usually are not. Death in absence of a diagnosis despite autopsy isgenerally termed sudden unexplained death (SUD) or autopsy-negative SUD. Incountries where autopsy is not mandatory in the case of Sudden death at a youngage, cases in which no autopsy is performed are considered to be SUD.sudden death occurs in approximately 1:200.000 athletes annually. The victim isusually male and, in the US. Two/Third occurs in foot ball and basket ballplayers. This reflects the popularity of these sports and the number ofathletes involves in them and elsewhere in world, soccer is most commonlyassociated. From static’s derived from NCAA data, one death per 25000collegiate athletes over a five year period was attributable to medical cause.