Better heart screening could save young athletes
Comprehensive heart screening could save the lives of more young athletes, according to a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers. The findings, based on screenings of 134 Maryland high school athletes, suggests that more screening could help detect rare -- but deadly -- heart problems that can strike young athlete, usually those in top form with no symptoms of serious problems.
Sudden cardiac death from heart rhythm disturbances kills one in 3,000 young people each year. While that risk may be relatively low, Hopkins researchers suggest doing several screening tests can help save lives.
The data, presented at this week's American Heart Association conference in Orlando Fla.,found benefits in testing athletes with both an echocardiogram, a heart ultrasound to measure heart size and an electrocardiogram, or EKG, to assess the heart's electrical rhythms.
Researchers tested the athletes, who were at state track and field championships last year, with the two screening tools and found no life threatening problems, but did find abnormalities in 36 kids. The majority of those were picked up using both screening tools.
Researchers acknowledge the tests are pricey but disagree with critics think the costs outweigh the benefits of detecting these rare problems.
"What is the price for a single life?" said Dr. Theodore Abraham in a news release. "We're counting the costs upfront. We're not counting the savings on the downstream end."
AP photo
