Free Paper about Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Competitive Athletes

Based on the post and additional evidence from Luong, Morrison, Lithwick, Isserow, Heilbron, & Krahn (2016), sudden cardiac death among young and competitive athletes although rare is a catastrophic event. Diverse cardiovascular illnesses represent the most common causes of sudden death in young athletes. For instance, the majority of sudden deaths are because of underlying cardiovascular abnormalities such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congenital coronary problems. Madamanchi and Chung (2017) add that, to a lesser extent, other disorders include aortic rapture in the context of Marfan syndrome, dilated cardiomyopathy, and valvular disease such as mitral regurgitation.

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Mainly, these mortalities happen without warning signs and sometimes, they can even be predicted before death occurs. For instance, the writer states that the doctor detected a systolic murmur during the 16-year-old athlete's physical examination, which was an abnormal clinical observation that warranted further interventions. Thus, this paper suggests that any abnormal clinical observation in athletes should be considered seriously to prevent the sudden deaths of young athletes (Chatard, Mujika, Goiriena, & Carre, 2016). For example, an athlete who presents with unexplained syncope either during or after an activity should receive a thorough cardiac examination. According to Madamanchi and Chung (2017), the progression of mitral regurgitation leads to left heart failure. Consequently, this paper suggests that athletes should undergo frequent physical examinations that pay attention to all possible causes of sudden cardiac deaths to minimize the rate of this catastrophe. Moreover, as Luong et al. (2016) record, many patients with mitral regurgitation remain asymptomatic. Thus, such regular physical assessments are vital.

Finally, this paper suggests that it is essential for healthcare providers to broaden the level of disease identification. Moreover, the significant role of genetics in cardiac valve disease is becoming increasingly evident. For instance, investigating the association of these diseases with genetic disorders such as Marfan syndrome can increase the ability to develop prevention strategies that help in availing appropriate care for the patients. Additionally, including tests such as exercise electrocardiography and cardiac catheterization may be essential to ensure health practitioners make informed opinions concerning sport participation (Chatard et al., 2016).

References

Chatard, J. C., Mujika, I., Goiriena, J. J., & Carre, F. (2016). Screening young athletes for prevention of sudden cardiac death: Practical recommendations for sports physicians. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 26(4), 362-374.

Luong, M. W., Morrison, B. N., Lithwick, D., Isserow, S. H., Heilbron, B., & Krahn, A. (2016). Sudden cardiac death in young competitive athletes. British Columbia Medical Journal, 58(3).

Madamanchi, C., & Chung, E. (2017). Mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation in young athletes. American College of Cardiology.