Sudden cardiac death risk may be underestimated in NCAA athletes

Sudden cardiac death accounted for more than half of the medical-related fatalities in a cohort of collegiate student-athletes in the US, according to study results.

Researchers from two US sites reviewed all cases of sudden cardiac death among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes from January 2004 to December 2008. The NCAA database was used, as were public media reports and catastrophic insurance claims.

There were 273 deaths in 1,969,663 athlete participant-years. Sixty-eight percent of those deaths were attributed to nonmedical or traumatic causes, 29% were due to medical causes and 2% were the result of unknown causes.

Among the medical cases, CV-related sudden death was the most frequently reported cause, accounting for 56% of the fatalities. CV-related sudden deaths also accounted for 75% of medical-related sudden deaths during exertion.

Sudden cardiac death had an incidence rate of 1:43,770 participants per year, according to the results. That rate was 1:3,100 per year among NCAA Division I male basketball players.

Among the 45 cardiac cases reported, 87% were identified through the NCAA database, 56% were identified through public media reports and 20% were found via catastrophic claims data.

The study was conducted to determine the true incidence of sudden cardiac death among NCAA student-athletes and to assess the accuracy of data collection methods on sudden cardiac death.

“[Sudden cardiac death] is the leading medical cause of death and death during exercise in NCAA student-athletes,” the researchers wrote. “Accurate assessment of [sudden cardiac death] incidence is necessary to shape appropriate health policy decisions and develop effective strategies for prevention.”

Cardiology Today: http://www.cardiologytoday.com/view.aspx?rID=82639