New Research Shows Decline in Sudden Cardiac Deaths Among NCAA Athletes

According to statistics given at the American Heart Association’s annual conference, the number of deaths among collegiate athletes due to cardiac arrest has been consistently declining over the last 20 years. Using data from over 2 million NCAA players, this pioneering study confirmed the drop and delved deeply into the complexities of risk variables associated with cardiac arrest during athletic exercise.  

Dr. Kimberly Harmon, a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle and report co-author, feels the cause of the drop is unknown. Dr. Harmon mentioned the potential role of better emergency response plans, more CPR training, and expanded availability to defibrillators, but he highlighted the need for deeper research into the phenomena.

When someone passes out suddenly, you should think cardiac arrest until evidence shows otherwise,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of quick and skilled responses in such situations. One cause for the drop might be the increased usage of screening procedures.

Because electrocardiograms (EKGs or ECGs) assess the electrical activity of the heart and can detect potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, some organizations now routinely require them of its athletes. According to Dr. Harmon, around 75% of high-risk athletes may be evaluated for problems, making these tests critical.

If an athlete’s EKG is abnormal, he or she may require echocardiography to further study the anatomy and function of the heart. The study’s findings highlighted the low occurrence of cardiac arrest among collegiate athletes, with a 0.02 percent yearly fatality rate. A deeper inspection of the data, on the other hand, uncovered some noteworthy abnormalities. Basketball players had a substantially higher yearly rate of 1 in 8,188 than the overall population.

Long-term athletes (those who have played for at least four years) have a risk of one in 2,000. Men were also at a higher risk than women (1 in 43,348 vs. 1 in 164,504). Furthermore, the death rate for black athletes was three times that of white athletes (1 in 27,217 vs. 1 in 74,581). Sports cardiologists suggested that such inequalities might be attributable to variables such as heredity, lifestyle choices, and the type of activity.

The majority of sportsmen who died of sudden cardiac death had normal hearts, according to autopsy. Dr. Harmon thought that the heart’s tremors and consequent inability to pump blood were caused by abnormal electrical activity. Despite the low overall incidence of sudden cardiac death, the study emphasized the need of having readily available defibrillators and well-trained teams capable of responding to cardiac crises in schools.

Dr. English Flack, associate professor of pediatric cardiology, emphasized the need of having an AED and a trained response team in every school. The expense of screening tests, such as electrocardiograms, may, however, be prohibitively expensive for certain athletes and their families.  

The study’s findings are encouraging since they show a decrease in cardiac arrest mortality among collegiate athletes, but they also raise concerns about the origins of this trend and suggest new routes for intervention. Athlete safety is a top issue at all levels of competition; hence efforts are being made to boost screening rates and defibrillator accessibility. 

News Reference  

Cardiac arrest deaths declining in college athletes, study shows. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/cardiac-arrest-deaths-declining-college-athletes-study-shows-rcna124209