Summaries for patients. Cost-effectiveness of different types of evaluations before sports participation in young athletes.

摘要

In the United States, sudden death in young people participating in competitive sports occurs at a low rate. Previously unknown heart disease is the leading cause of these deaths. Major medical organizations recommend that young athletes be evaluated for heart disease before they participate in organized sports. However, recommendations about how to evaluate young athletes vary. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend a medical history and physical examination, with further testing if history or examination is abnormal. The European Society of Cardiology and the International Olympic Committee recommend including electrocardiography (ECG); this test records the electrical impulses in the heart and provides information about abnormal heart rhythms and other heart conditions.