[Athlete's heart: role of cardiac imaging in the prevention of sudden cardiac death].

Authors

Leonard Weishaupt, Christine Attenhofer Jost, Ronny R Buechel, Stefano Caselli, Sarah Spalinger, Christian Schmied

Published in

Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique. Volume 83. Issue 3. Pages 96-102.

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes is usually the result of an undetected underlying heart disease, with physical exertion acting as the trigger. Commotio cordis is a rare cause of SCD. In young athletes, genetically determined cardiomyopathies predominate, while in older athletes coronary artery disease remains the most important differential diagnosis. Regular screening programs - consisting of medical history, physical examination, and resting ECG - can detect over 90 % of relevant conditions, particularly when international ECG criteria are applied correctly. However, these assessments are not always sufficient, as some pathologies may manifest later in life and/or require additional diagnostic tests to be recognized. The main task of screening athletes is to distinguish physiological adaptations of the athlete's heart from pathological changes. Echocardiography, MRI, and CT play a central role here.

PMID:
42346974
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Jun 2026.

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