Sudden Cardiac Death in the Athlete - Hardcover

"The chapters are well written and well referenced. This text is a beginning. It should be the stimulus to a continued effort to better define the risk of cardiac death associated with athletics." --Journal of Vascular Surgery "For athletes with documented or suspected heart disease of any kind, including arrhythmias, the book presents practical guidelines for diagnostic workup, therapy, recommendations about exercise, and eligibility for athletic competition. "The book ends with recommendations for the care of high-profile athletes (follow the simple guideline: provide good medical care, establish good relationships with the athlete and his or her family, and protect confidentiality), legal considerations, and the viewpoints of team physicians (most of whom are not familiar with cardiac problems) and athletic organizations, all of which make this part of the book informative and easy to read. "The editors have achieved their goal of providing a summary of present knowledge about the sudden death of athletes from cardiac causes for physicians, the athletic community (trainers), and the public." --The New England Journal of Medicine "Given the importance of this subject and its impact on the medical and athletic communities, this text is certainly welcomed. The editors do indeed achieve their goal of creating a thorough and inclusive text on the subject. "An obvious strength is comprehensive coverage of the subject. Every relevant issue related to sudden death in athletes is addressed. "This is an excellent reference which contains current and complete information on the subject. Although discussions of sudden death in athletes are found throughout cardiology and sports medicine texts, this book is one of few dedicated entirely to the topic. I believe that many clinicians and researchers will find it to be a valuable resource." --Doody's Review Service "As a conclusion, we could affirm that this is a multidisciplinary book that presents all the current knowledge on such an important and contemporary issue as is the sudden death in the athlete. Reading or just consulting this book, it will be very useful to the clinical Cardiologist and to any other physician or health professional related to the care of the athletes." --Revista Espanola de Cardiologia "In summary, this text brings together a large body of information relevant to assessing and preventing sudden death in high level athletes and casual exercisers. It will be a useful reference for practicing cardiologists." --PACE

The unexpected death of an athlete during exercise is a tragic irony - albeit with a history dating back to Pheldippides, who collapses after his namesake Marathon run. We are more apt to consider vigorous exercise as a protective measure against cardiovascular events and not as a triggering mechanism for them. The relative rarity of such episodes makes the screening of those at risk even more of a challenge. This challenge is well met in this unique text, the first to deal specifically, authoritatively, and comprehensively with the issues of prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac death in the athlete. Many of the underlying cardiovascular diseases that put athletes at risk are identified and explained, including: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right venticular dysplasia Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome anomalous origin of the coronary arteries inherited long QT syndromes The screening guidelines are of particular value, as are the recommendations regarding the participation of athletes with cardiovascular disease. Beyond its clinical scope, the editors have incorporated current information in epidemiology, cardiovascular pathophysiology, and the many vexing legal and ethical issues.