Joining the Fight to Prevent Sudden Death in Young Athletes
Each year in the United States, approximately 50,000 of the five million student athletes are expected to have potentially dangerous forms of coronary artery anomalies (malformation of coronary blood vessels), which are associated with sudden cardiac death, particularly in young athletes.
In keeping with its mission of cardiovascular research and education, the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital (THI at SLEH) is hosting and partnering with another nonprofit organization, the Center for Coronary Anomalies (CCA), to help prevent sudden cardiac death in middle school and high school athletes in Houston and surrounding areas. THI and CCA are developing four programs.
Awareness A website, articles, symposia, brochures, and lectures will be utilized to educate health professionals and consumers about coronary artery anomalies and their association with sudden cardiac death.
Training A recommended medical exam will be created and taught to expand the number of professionals and technicians who can detect and evaluate coronary artery anomalies.
Screening A pilot study is being developed to gather information on 10,000 young athletes in Houston and surrounding areas. The study will not only gather critical information about coronary artery anomalies, but could also result in establishing cost-effective protocols for the prevention of death from cardiomyopathy, the other most frequent cause of sudden cardiac death in athletes and the general population. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it difficult to pump blood to other parts of the body.
Treatment A methodology to refer at-risk students to physicians knowledgeable in coronary artery anomalies and sudden cardiac death will be developed. Paolo Angelini, MD, a practicing cardiologist and a member of the Texas Heart Institute Professional Staff, is providing the medical leadership for this promising program. Dr. Angelini has published the only textbook about coronary artery anomalies, has organized international meetings on the subject, and directs a section of the Texas Heart Institute Journal on rare coronary anomalies.
The initial focus will be the screening of student athletes using a portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine. The MRI test, which requires only five minutes, will provide essential information about the incidence of high-risk conditions for sudden death in athletes. Reports will be made available to the students and their families. Those with coronary artery anomalies will be advised to pursue expert medical advice.
Dr. James T. Willerson, President and Medical Director of THI, said,
The goal to further the detection, study and treatment methods for coronary artery anomalies and the prevention of sudden cardiac death in young athletes is very important. We are pleased to host and partner in this effort with the Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies to advance and support this area of research with the expectation that it will help prevent sudden death in young athletes engaged in competition.
Future issues of News of Note will include progress reports and a schedule of the schools where the tests will be conducted.
Visit the Center for Coronary Anomalies website.
