Teenage Athletes and Sudden Death: Is Heart Screening for Athletes Thorough Enough?

Participating in sports is a healthy thing for most teens. It improves their fitness level, builds confidence and helps them keep off unwanted pounds. But, occasionally, you'll read about a seemingly healthy teenage athlete that drops dead in the middle of a game due to an undiagnosed heart problem. This is why teens are required to get pre-participation screening by a doctor to make sure they can safely do vigorous exercise. Still, some experts wonder if the current screening is enough. Should heart screening for athletes be more extensive?

Heart Screening for Athletes: Is It Enough?

When a doctor does a pre-participation screening on a teenage athlete, they take a medical history, family history and do a physical exam, including a heart exam with a stethoscope. Unless a teen has "red flags" suggestive of heart problems based on past medical history, family history or physical exam or has heart-related symptoms, the doctor usually approves them to play sports. An ECG or more extensive heart testing isn't done routinely. But should it be?

Experts argue that you'd have to do too many ECGs to find a teen with an abnormal one. The other problem is an ECG is not a very sensitive test for diagnosing heart disease unless a teen is having symptoms at the time of the ECG or unless it's done while they're exercising. To find those "hidden" heart problems usually requires a more expensive study such as an echocardiogram or an exercise stress test. Most experts don't think that's practical for all teens.

Pre-participation Screening for Heart Problems in Teens: What Does This Mean for Teens and Parents?

What can you do to protect your teen? It's important for parents to go with teens to get their sports physical to make sure the doctor gets a thorough family history. Many heart conditions that can lead to sudden death run in families - and the doctor needs to know about any family history of heart problems.

They also need to know if a teenage athlete gets weak or tired when exercising, has difficulty breathing during exercise, becomes lightheaded or dizzy or has any chest discomfort. These can all be symptoms of a serious heart problem.

Heart Screening for Teen Athletes: The Bottom Line?

Tag along when your teen goes for a sports physical - and tell the doctor about your family history of heart disease, especially if heart problems occurred at a young age. It could save your teen's life.

References:

Eurekalert.org. "Do All Student Athletes Need Heart Screenings?"

Merck Manual. Eighteenth edition. 2006.