Although few doubts remain that physical exercise should be widely promoted for maintenance of health and fitness, the risk of adverse events such as sudden death (especially due to cardiac causes, i.e., sudden cardiac death [SCD]) during exercise remains tangible. The overall risk of sudden death in athletes is relatively low (i.e., usually comprised between 0.1 and 38/100,000 person-years), and globally comparable to that of the general population. However, up to 20% of all sudden death cases are still recorded while exercising. The most frequent underlying disorders encountered in SCD are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease (CAD), representing three quarters of all conditions. The risk related to CAD increases with aging (>35 years old), while that attributable to cardiomyopathies or fatal arrhythmias is especially frequent among young people (<35 years old). Taken together, these findings would lead to the conclusion that physical exercise may be seen as an acute trigger of myocardial ischemia or arrhythmias in some predisposed individuals. Nonetheless, the prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis seems to be higher in athletes than in sedentary subjects with comparable risk profile. On the contrary, coronary plaques in physically active subjects appear more stable, thereby attenuating the risk of rupture and subsequent myocardial ischemia. These findings, along with evidence of a considerable increase of peak coronary blood flow during exercise, make it very likely that an imbalance between oxygen demand and supply may be the most frequent cause of myocardial ischemia in athletes suffering SCD and/or cardiac arrest. Therefore, all subjects who wish to practice moderate- to high-intensity exercise are recommended to undergo preparticipation screening and annual follow-up.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1661334 | DOI Listing |
Eur J Prev Cardiol
December 2024
Cardiovascular and Genomics Institute, City St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK.
Aims: Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) refers to a sudden death, which remains unexplained despite comprehensive post-mortem examination and a toxicological screen. We aimed to investigate the impact of age and sex on the overall diagnostic yield and underlying aetiology in decedents with SADS using a combined approach of familial evaluation (FE) and molecular autopsy (MA).
Methods And Results: Consecutive referrals to a single centre for FE only, MA only or both, following a SADS death were included.
Int J Cardiol Congenit Heart Dis
March 2024
Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Aims: Patients with D-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) and atrial switch experience late morbidity and mortality related to atrial arrhythmias and systemic right ventricular (SRV) failure. We sought to analyze the influence of atrial arrhythmias on long-term outcomes in this group.
Methods: A retrospective review of all patients with D-TGA and atrial switch followed at a tertiary care center was performed.
Glob Heart
December 2024
Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a major concern in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have different guidelines for SCD risk stratification. Their comparative performance in diverse populations remains uncertain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHealth Inf Sci Syst
December 2025
School of Computer Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321000 China.
Sleep apnea/hypopnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing which could induce a series of health problems such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and even sudden death. Polysomnography (PSG) is the most common way to diagnose sleep apnea/hypopnea. Considering that PSG data acquisition is complex and the diagnosis of sleep apnea/hypopnea requires manual scoring, it is very time-consuming and highly professional.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Cardiol Congenit Heart Dis
September 2024
First Cardiology Department, AHEPA University Hospital, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Pulmonary arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease marked by significant morbidity and mortality due to pulmonary vasculopathy and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. Despite advances in PAH medical therapies which have improved clinical outcomes and survival, patients continue to face severe complications, including a notable incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The high arrhythmic burden, coupled with mechanical complications such as left main compression syndrome, pulmonary artery dissection, rupture, and severe hemoptysis, significantly contribute to the risk of SCD.
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