Sudden cardiac death is more common than perceived

Sudden cardiac death in athletes is more common than previously thought, an expert has claimed.

Speaking to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Dr Jonathan Drezner, vice president of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine and senior associate editor of Sports Cardiology, challenged the view that sudden cardiac death is rare.

"I think for a long time we have felt that it is infrequent … the usual incident that is cited traditionally is about one in 200,000 athletes die per year. We've shown recently that it is a gross underestimate of the true magnitude of the problem," Dr Drezner noted.

He suggested that the average incidence is actually a lot closer to one in 45,000.

Dr Drezner said that the illusion of rarity came about as few cases are reported in the media.

Research scientists from Saint Luke's Mid America Heart and Vascular Institute, Kansas City, the Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Kansas and the University of Kansas have also recently recommended cardiac screening prior to participation in sporting events, following the results of a study.