The preparticipation cardiovascular screening of competitive athletes: is it time to change the customary clinical practice?

The preparticipation cardiovascular screening of competitive athletes: is it time to change the customary clinical practice?

The recent 'Recommendations and considerations related to preparticipation screening for cardiovascular abnormalities in competitive athletes: 2007 update', state that it is not 'either prudent or practical to recommend the routine use of test such as 12-lead ECG' into the preparticipation screening, in contrast to previous Recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the Int...

Preparticipation screening for cardiovascular abnormalities in young competitive athletes.

The cardiovascular benefits of regular physical exercise are well established.However, a small proportion of young (≤35 years) athletes with unsuspected heart disease are at increased risk of exercise related sudden cardiac death. The majority of such deaths are attributable to cardiac anomalies, most of which can be identified during life. A range of therapeutic strategies can be implemented t...

Cardiovascular Preparticipation Screening in Young Athletes

Cardiovascular (CV) screening in young competitive athletes is recommended by the majority of medical and sports governing organizations. There is, however, substantial controversy surrounding the most appropriate screening protocol and whether to add a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) to the preparticipation history and physical examination. Rather than continue polarized debates and co...

Preparticipation screening for the detection of cardiovascular abnormalities that may cause sudden death in competitive athletes.

Impact of ethnicity upon cardiovascular adaptation in competitive athletes: relevance to preparticipation screening.

Regular participation in intensive physical exercise is associated with several structural and electrophysiological cardiac adaptations that enhance diastolic filling and facilitate a sustained increase in the cardiac output that is fundamental to athletic excellence. Such cardiac adaptations are collectively referred to as the 'Athlete's Heart' and are frequently reflected on the 12-lead ECG a...