Sudden cardiac death in young athletes is rare but tragic event. It is often secondary to previously undiagnosed cardiac conditions.  Some of these conditions can be diagnosed with proper pre-participation cardiovascular screening.   Below is a list of cardiac conditions which have been associated with sudden cardiac death in young athletes.  

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Common Causes of Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes

• Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM)

• Congenital coronary artery anomalies

• Myocarditis

• Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)

• Long QT syndrome (LQTS)

• Brugada syndrome

• Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT)

• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW)

• Marfan syndrome

• Aortic stenosis

• Mitral valve prolapse

• Comotio mortis

• Performance enhancing drugs

• Premature coronary artery disease

 

The majority of the abnormalities listed above are hereditary.  If you or anyone in your family has any of these conditions, we would strongly recommend that first-degree relatives (Children, parents, brothers, and sisters) get a cardiac evaluation before playing competitive sports. Click on the link below to download the Cardiac Risk Assessment Questionnaire.

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