The unexpected death of an athlete during exercise is a tragic irony - albeit with a history dating back to Pheldippides, who collapsed after his original Marathon run. We are more apt to consider vigorous exercise as a protective measure against cardiovascular events and not as a triggering mechanism for them. The relative rarity of such episodes makes the screening of those at risk even more of a challenge. This challenge is well met in this unique text, the first to deal specifically, authoritatively, and comprehensively with the issues of prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac death in the athlete. Many of the underlying cardiovascular diseases that put athletes at risk are identified and explained, including: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right venticular dysplasia Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome anomalous origin of the coronary arteries inherited long QT syndromes The screening guidelines are of particular value, as are the recommendations regarding the participation of athletes with cardiovascular disease. Beyond its clinical scope, the editors have incorporated current information in epidemiology, cardiovascular pathophysiology, and the many vexing legal and ethical issues. With its in-depth, multi-faceted approach and prominent contributors, Sudden Cardiac Death in the Athlete is sure to be a much welcomed reference for sports medicine and team physicians, athletic directors and trainers, family practitioners, pediatricians, and cardiologists.

This textbook provides a comprehensive, yet practically orientated overview of classic and novel sports cardiology topics, based on current evidence, guidelines, recommendations and expert experience. Numerous publications have provided guidance to these issues, but it has become increasingly difficult for both students and doctors to obtain a thorough, but practicable overview for optimal clinical care of athletes and patients. This book is intended as an educational work, filling the large gaps that are still present in the current educational guidelines for medical students and cardiology trainees. Textbook of Sports and Exercise Cardiology differs from other sports cardiology books by focusing on clear, practical recommendations based on the latest evidence, primarily targeting those who seek professional background information and education that can easily be transferred into everyday care.

Sudden death in athletes is a global problem. Although it is a relatively rare phenomenon (1/100,000 persons), when it does occur, it is often as an incomprehensible event. In fact, it strikes subjects who presumably should be much healthier than the general population. In the previous 20 years, many authors have studied this problem in an attempt to understand the causes and prevent these events, and it has been determined that, in the vast majority of cases, athletes who die suddenly have an underlying heart disease (arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, coronary anomalies, channelopathies, etc.). In most cases these diseases do not produce major symptoms and do not preclude sports activity even at the highest levels, although they do increase the incidence of sudden death. How to discover these diseases in asymptomatic athletes is a hotly debated issue. In particular, there is controversy as to whether all athletes should undergo detailed medical screening, including electrocardiogram, or whether the costs of this screening are too high in relation to the event incidence. The purpose of this book is to accurately analyze the causes of sudden death in athletes and to provide cardiologists and sports physicians with useful tips on how to identify at-risk individuals.

This engaging book covers a multitude of topics related to heart rhythm disorders (HRDs) and uniquely familiarizes readers with the development of treatment modalities over the past several decades, including the evolution of anti-arrhythmic drugs, pacemakers, defibrillators, and catheter ablation. Organized in ten sections, this title serves as both an archival and a contemporary resource for clinicians. The first section describes the discovery of the circulatory system by William Harvey in 1628 and outlines the development and understanding of HRD since the advent of intra-cardiac electrophysiology. Subsequent sections discuss the historical evolution of abnormal heart rhythms, such as supra and ventricular rhythms and sudden cardiac death, their treatment with drugs, surgery, pacemakers, implantable defibrillators and catheter ablation. Section nine offers a fascinating narration of the clinical evolution of overcoming heart attacks and its impact on HRDs. The final section explores potential new frontiers in HRD and the factors that may contribute to the prospective rise of cardiovascular diseases. A ground-breaking and invaluable addition to the clinical literature, Heart Rhythm Disorders: History, Mechanisms and Management Perspectives details the pervasive nature of cardiovascular diseases in human history, their ramifications, and their projected effects on at-risk demographic populations and human health in general.

Chapter 8 Cardiovascular Screening for the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in AthletesIntroduction; The Risk of Sudden Death in Athletes; Rationale for Screening Competitive Athletes; The Screening Programmes Implemented in Italy; Rationale for Including a 12-Lead ECG in the PPE ; Efficacy of Screening to Identify Cardiac Disease Risk; Impact of the Screening Programme on Cardiac Mortality; Costs of Systematic Screening across Italy; Limitations of Screening Programmes; Conclusion; References

Providing a critical update and review of salient topics needed for the proper cardiac evaluation and care of athletes, this text is designed to be the most up-to-date and practical manual for all health care providers who evaluate and treat athletes, including sports cardiologists, general cardiologists, sports medicine specialists, team doctors and athletic trainers. The book is divided into three key sections. The first section ​discusses essential topics pertaining to the pre-participation cardiac screening of athletes, providing a framework for how best to perform pre-participation cardiac evaluations and optimize the interpret​at​ion of cardiac screening test results, and ​a guide to ​assist the streamlining of appropriate downstream testing ​when required. The second section reviews the management and care of athletes with specific, existing cardiovascular disorders, providing the reader with fundamental principles to help recognize and advise levels of sport participation to athletes with these disorders. The final section deals with acute sideline management of the symptomatic athlete and will again provide practical algorithms for cardiologists and non-cardiologists alike who are responsible for athlete health and safety in the sports arenas and training facilities. Written and edited by highly regarded experts in the field of sports cardiology, including several cardiologists who are collegiate and professional team physicians and who work with professional sports organizations on developing policies for cardiac screening and monitoring, Sports Cardiology is an excellent practical resource for all clinicians working in the field.

Sudden death in athletes is a global problem. Although it is a relatively rare phenomenon (1/100,000 persons), when it does occur, it is often as an incomprehensible event. In fact, it strikes subjects who presumably should be much healthier than the general population. In the previous 20 years, many authors have studied this problem in an attempt to understand the causes and prevent these events, and it has been determined that, in the vast majority of cases, athletes who die suddenly have an underlying heart disease (arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, coronary anomalies, channelopathies, etc.). In most cases these diseases do not produce major symptoms and do not preclude sports activity even at the highest levels, although they do increase the incidence of sudden death. How to discover these diseases in asymptomatic athletes is a hotly debated issue. In particular, there is controversy as to whether all athletes should undergo detailed medical screening, including electrocardiogram, or whether the costs of this screening are too high in relation to the event incidence. The purpose of this book is to accurately analyze the causes of sudden death in athletes and to provide cardiologists and sports physicians with useful tips on how to identify at-risk individuals.