Commotio cordis: sudden cardiac death in athletes

1999 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
LG Futterman ◽  
L Lemberg
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Death ◽  
Blunt Trauma ◽  
Cardiac Death ◽  
The Other ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
Young Athletes ◽  
The Public ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Commotio Cordis

Commotio cordis due to blunt trauma to the precordium is a rare cause of death in young athletes, occurring less frequently than all of the other athletics-related deaths. Several measures, such as the use of safety baseballs and the use of chest protectors, can help protect young athletes from commotio cordis. In general, sudden cardiac death in athletes is receiving increasing attention from the public as a result of recent deaths of high-profile athletes. Sudden cardiac death, however, is rare, with an estimated 1 out of 200,000 high school athletes at risk each year. However, the personal, physiological, and cardiovascular benefits of athletics far outweigh the risks. Therefore, the message to parents is to allow their children to participate in athletics because the benefits far outweigh the risks.

Commotio cordis: A review

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritesh G Menezes ◽  
Huda Fatima ◽  
Syed Ather Hussain ◽  
Saba Ahmed ◽  
Pankaj Kumar Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Cardiac Death ◽  
Cardiac Death ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
High Velocity Impact ◽  
Young Athletes ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Velocity Impact ◽  
Commotio Cordis ◽  
Malignant Arrhythmias

Commotio cordis is an increasingly reported fatal mechano-electric syndrome and is the second most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. It is most commonly associated with a sports-related injury, wherein, there is a high-velocity impact between a projectile and the precordium. By virtue of this impact, malignant arrhythmias consequently develop leading to the individual’s immediate demise, accompanied by a relatively normal post-mortem analysis. The importance of an autopsy remains paramount to exclude other causes of sudden death. With increasing awareness and reporting, survival rates are beginning to improve; however, prevention of the development of this condition remains the best approach for survival.

Prospective screening of 5,615 high school athletes for risk of sudden cardiac death

1997 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1131-1138 ◽  
Author(s):  
COLIN M. FULLER ◽  
CANDACE M. McNULTY ◽  
DONALD A. SPRING ◽  
KOSTA M. ARGER ◽  
STEPHEN S. BRUCE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Death ◽  
Cardiac Death ◽  
High School Athletes

scholarly journals 901-68 Prospective Screening of 5615 High School Athletes for Sudden Cardiac Death

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 21A
Author(s):  
Colin M. Fuller ◽  
Donald A. Spring ◽  
Kosta M. Arger ◽  
Stephen A. Bruce ◽  
Eric M. Drummer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Death ◽  
Cardiac Death ◽  
High School Athletes

scholarly journals Opt-in Electrocardiogram Screening at High-School Physicals Does Not Identify Those at Highest Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Lauren Porras ◽  
Lauren Porras ◽  
Adam Willson ◽  
Kyle Tamminga ◽  
Naima Stennett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
High School ◽  
African American ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Death ◽  
Cardiac Disease ◽  
Cardiac Death ◽  
P Value ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
Basketball Players ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg

Pre-participation examination (PPE) is mandatory for United States high school athletes. Despite evidence suggesting increased detection of cardiac disease associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD), obtaining a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is not required for pre-participation evaluation. We queried local high school athletes undergoing PPE between 2017-2019 to gauge interest in having an ECG performed during their PPE. We also evaluated willingness to pay for an ECG and potentially other tests if screening ECG is abnormal. There were 149 respondents, of whom 104 (70%) were male. 18 (12%) respondents were African American (AA) and 30 (20%) played basketball. Regarding interest in ECG, 77 (52%) were unsure, 41 (28%) responded ‘yes’ and 31 (21%) responded ‘no’. Of those not interested in ECG, 11 (35%) played basketball, 23 (74%) were male and 5 (16%) were AA. Basketball players were less likely to want an ECG (p-value 0.002). 48 athletes responded that they would pay for an ECG, 3 (6%) of whom were AA. 46 responded that they would not pay, 13 (28%) of whom were AA (p-value 0.005). Most athletes and parents were unsure about ECG screening. Among athletes considered highest risk for SCD (males, AA and basketball players), there was disproportionately lower interest in screening or paying for an ECG. Lack of interest might be for many reasons, including lack of knowledge regarding the utility of ECG screening and financial considerations. Our study showed that opt-in ECG screening at PPE would miss many high school athletes at highest risk.

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