Do ‘pathologic’ cardiac murmurs in adolescents identify structural heart disease? An evaluation of 15 141 active adolescents for conditions that put them at risk of sudden cardiac death

2021 ◽  
pp. bjsports-2019-101718
Author(s):  
Ashley V Austin ◽  
David S Owens ◽  
Jordan M Prutkin ◽  
Jack C Salerno ◽  
Brian Ko ◽  
...  

ObjectivesWe assessed whether the presence and character of a cardiac murmur in adolescents were associated with structural heart disease that confers risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD).MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of 15 141 adolescents age 12–19 who underwent a heart screen with history, physical examination and ECG. Participants with any screening abnormality underwent an echocardiogram for the assessment of structural heart disease. Murmurs were classified as physiological or pathological according to standard clinical criteria, and participants with murmurs were compared with a comparison group without murmurs. The primary outcome was echocardiogram-detected structural heart disease associated with SCD.Results905 participants with a cardiac murmur (mean age 15.8; 58% male) and 4333 participants without a murmur (comparison group; mean age 15.8; 55% male) had an echocardiogram to detect structural heart disease. 743 (82%) murmurs were described as physiological and 162 (18%) as pathological. Twenty-five (2.8%) participants with murmurs and 61 (1.4%) participants without murmurs had structural heart disease. Three (0.3%) participants in the murmur group were diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which was the only identified condition associated with SCD. Two participants with HCM had physiological murmurs, one had a pathological murmur, and all three had an abnormal ECG. The most common minor structural heart disease was bicuspid aortic valve in both the murmur (7; 0.8%) and comparison (20; 0.5%) groups. The positive predictive value of physiological versus pathological murmurs for identifying any structural heart disease was 2.4% versus 4.3% (p=0.21), respectively. The positive predictive value of having any murmur versus no murmur for identifying structural heart disease was 2.8% versus 1.4% (p=0.003), respectively.ConclusionsIn adolescents, the traditional classification of cardiac murmurs as ‘physiologic’ or ‘pathologic’ does not differentiate for structural heart disease that puts individuals at risk for SCD. We recommend ECG evaluation in all patients with a cardiac murmur found during preparticipation screening to increase detection of HCM.

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 101-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kraaier ◽  
P. M. J. Verhorst ◽  
P. F. H. M. van Dessel ◽  
A. A. M. Wilde ◽  
M. F. Scholten

Heart Rhythm ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 1720-1721
Author(s):  
Peter Oosterhoff ◽  
Larisa G. Tereshchenko ◽  
Marcel A.G. van der Heyden ◽  
Raja N. Ghanem ◽  
Paul J. De Groot ◽  
...  

ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 2279-2288
Author(s):  
Tilman Maurer ◽  
William G. Stevenson ◽  
Karl-Heinz Kuck

Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) may occur in the presence or absence of structural heart disease. The standard therapy for patients with structural heart disease at high risk of sudden cardiac death due to VT is the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). While ICDs effectively terminate VT and prevent sudden cardiac death, they do not prevent recurrent episodes of VT, since the underlying arrhythmogenic substrate remains unchanged. However, shocks from an ICD increase mortality and impair quality of life. These limitations as well as continuous advancements in technology have made catheter ablation an important treatment strategy for patients with structural heart disease presenting with VT. Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias include premature ventricular contractions and VT occurring in the absence of overt structural heart disease. In this setting, catheter ablation has evolved as the primary therapeutic option for symptomatic ventricular premature beats and sustained VTs and is curative in most cases. This chapter presents an overview of the principles of invasive diagnosis and treatment of monomorphic VTs in patients with and without structural heart disease and delineates the clinical outcome of catheter ablation. Finally, the chapter provides an outlook to the future, discussing potential directions and upcoming developments in the field of catheter ablation of monomorphic VT.


Radiographics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 805-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick J. Sparrow ◽  
Naeem Merchant ◽  
Yves L. Provost ◽  
Deirdre J. Doyle ◽  
Elsie T. Nguyen ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystien VV Lieve ◽  
◽  
Arthur A Wilde ◽  
Christian van der Werf ◽  
◽  
...  

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a rare but severe genetic cardiac arrhythmia disorder, with symptoms including syncope and sudden cardiac death due to polymorphic VT or ventricular fibrillation typically triggered by exercise or emotions in the absence of structural heart disease. The cornerstone of medical therapy for CPVT is β -blockers. However, recently flecainide has been added to the therapeutic arsenal for CPVT. In this review we summarise current data on the efficacy and role of flecainide in the treatment of CPVT.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Vago ◽  
L Szabo ◽  
C S Czimbalmos ◽  
Z S Dohy ◽  
I Csecs ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the most common cause of death in athletes occurring usually during intensive training. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has a crucial role in the detection of structural myocardial abnormalities. Aims Our aim was to investigate the etiology of SCD and to estimate the prevalence of myocardial structural heart diseases among Hungarian athletes using CMR. Methods Between January 2011 and January 2019 we performed CMR scans on 228 athletes (199 males, age: 29.1±13.2) with suspected structural myocardial disease. Twelve athletes were investigated after aborted sudden cardiac death and normal coronary angiography. Results CMR confirmed the diagnosis of structural myocardial disease in 62 athletes (26.2%) (28.8±9.1 years, 59 male): hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in 14 cases (22.6%), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) in 9 cases (14.5%), noncompaction (NCCMP) in 6 cases (9.7%) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in 5 cases (8.1%). Subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), reflecting myocardial scar, was typical of previous myocardial infarction (post MI) in 3 cases (5.5%). Acute myocarditis was found in 2 cases (3.6%). Nonischaemic LGE pattern was found in 20 cases (32.2%): patchy subepi-midmyocardial LGE suggesting previous myocarditis in 8 athletes, and with aspecific pattern in 12 athletes. Athletes with nonischaemic LGE had normal clinical and laboratory parameters without wall motion abnormalities, in their cases further investigations ruled out systemic disease. One athlete was diagnosed with Fabry-disease, one with coronary artery abnormality (anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva), one athlete showed pheochromocytoma-related Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (each 1.6%). Five athletes with confirmed structural heart disease were investigated after sustained ventricular tachycardia, seven athletes after aborted SCD: ARVC (n=6), aspecific LGE pattern (n=4), HCM (n=1) and pheochromocytoma-related Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (n=1) were diagnosed. RVOT movie of an ARVC pts Conclusion In our national CMR registry the most common structural alteration was nonischaemic fibrosis, the most common cardiomyopathy was HCM, and the leading cause of SCD in Hungarian competitive athletes was ARVC. The national registers are highly important for a better understanding the etiology and the geographical differences of SCD in athletes. Acknowledgement/Funding Project no. NVKP_16-1-2016-0017 has been implemented with the support provided from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary


ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 2363-2369
Author(s):  
Elena Arbelo ◽  
Josep Brugada

Cardiac channelopathies are genetically determined heart rhythm disorders affecting young individuals without structural heart disease, predisposing them to ventricular arrhythmias. Apart from avoiding triggers such as drugs, exercise, or fever, in most primary arrhythmia syndromes the only effective therapy for preventing sudden cardiac death is an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). However, in this group of a young, active population, ICD may cause a significant rate of device-related complications. Therefore, appropriate risk stratification and selective ICD indications are of utmost importance.


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