You are here: Home > News & Resources > Loyola's Printed Publications > Loyola Living December 2001 Issue > Sudden Death is Rare, But Young Athletes Should be Screened for Heart Problems

Sudden Death is Rare, But Young Athletes Should be Screened for Heart Problems

We think of young people, particularly those involved in sports, as the healthiest members of society, so it is particularly devastating when a young athlete dies suddenly on a playing field from a previously undetected heart problem. It is shocking and tragic, but fortunately, an extremely rare occurrence.

Nonetheless, children and teens involved in sports – particularly those who train rigorously and compete regularly – should be examined annually by their primary care physician. If a heart problem is suspected, the child should be referred to a cardiologist for further testing, explained Frank Cetta, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist who collaborates with primary care physicians at Loyola’s Mulcahy Outpatient Center in Maywood and at Loyola’s Center for Health at Hickory Hills.

There are several heart problems that can cause sudden death in young athletes; the most common is an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle known as “hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.” The disease accounts for about one third of sudden deaths on the playing field, yet only about two in 1,000 people have the problem. Another cause of sudden death is a structural problem known as “abnormal origin of the coronary artery” in which a coronary artery grew in the wrong position. Another possible culprit is “prolonged QT syndrome” or, in other words, an electrical problem in the heart that could cause a sudden change in rhythm.

Unfortunately, the problems that can cause unexpected death during physical activity are often difficult to detect and may have no symptoms. However, parents should be particularly alert to these warning signs in their children: chest pain or discomfort during strenuous exercise, fainting or nearly fainting during strenuous exercise, and extreme fatigue or shortness of breath with exercise.

If someone in the family died suddenly at a young age from a heart problem or from an unknown cause, that is a red flag to a possible inherited heart problem. A heart murmur can also indicate a problem, but Cetta emphasized that most heart murmurs are not dangerous. In fact, more than half of children have a heart murmur at some time. The primary care physician can determine which heart murmurs need further evaluation by a cardiologist.

If further evaluation is recommended, the cardiologist will most likely obtain an ECG (electrocardiogram) and an echocardiogram. Both tests are noninvasive and painless. The ECG detects abnormal electrical impulses in the heart muscle. The echocardiogram gives a picture of the heart in action, just like an ultrasound is used to view a growing baby inside the mother’s womb. Both ECG and echocardiogram are available on site at Loyola’s Center for Health at Hickory Hills, Cetta noted.

-->Go back to issue index-->