What causes sudden death during athletic activities?
The vast majority of sudden deaths are caused by cardiac events, with the remainder secondary to pulmonary causes such as asthma and anaphylaxis, or neurovascular congenital abnormalities such as aneurysms. Most sudden cardiac deaths in the young occur during or immediately following school sports, and nearly 90 percent occur in the presence of a teacher or coach. How common is exercise-associated sudden death? Among healthy children, sudden death while participating in sporting events is quite rare. Although uncommon, it attracts disproportionate attention from the media. In the United States, there are approximately 15 million school-age students and 100 to 200 reported pediatric sudden deaths per year, roughly calculating to one to two children per 100,000 annually. Sudden cardiac death during sports typically occurs in healthy, previously asymptomatic children and young adults. Is it feasible or effective to screen healthy young athletes to detect those at risk? The challenges of s
