Summaries for patients. Adding electrocardiography to medical history and physical examination for evaluation before sports participation in college athletes.

摘要

In the United States, estimates are that sudden death occurs in about 1 of every 220 000 young sports participants. 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 Olympic Committee recommend including electrocardiography (ECG). This test records the electrical impulses in the heart and provide information about abnormal heart rhythms and other heart conditions.