Introduction: Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) represents an unexpected death caused by cardiovascular factors, occurring within an hour of symptom onset in healthy individuals. Although sport is not the primary cause, it can trigger sudden cardiac arrests in athletes with latent cardiac predispositions, with an estimated incidence of 2.3 cases per 100,000 athletes per year, varying by age, gender, sport, and ethnicity. Research highlights significant differences in the etiology of SCD between Italian and American athletes, possibly influenced by the Italian national screening program for young athletes before sports competitions. Tragedies involving athletes such as Marc-Vivien Foe, Piermario Morosini, Vigor Bovolenta, and Christian Eriksen have led to legislative, preventive, and educational changes in Italian sports. Laws and decrees have regulated the obligation and use of defibrillators in sports facilities to improve survival chances in the event of SCD. Additionally, "pre-competitive medical screening" has been introduced to identify potential cardiac anomalies in soccer players participating in FIFA and national tournaments. The aim of this research was to investigate how to prevent and manage SCD in young athletes. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases, combining subsequent search terms with Boolean operators. Results: Out of a total of 50 articles examined, 35 were excluded due to: lack of abstract, study participants not meeting search criteria, article focus not relevant to search criteria; a total of 15 articles were included for review. Conclusion: It is essential to develop and deepen research to create effective pre-participation screening programs for early diagnosis of lethal cardiac conditions. Ensuring uniform and widespread access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in accordance with current Italian regulations is crucial. Furthermore, innovative and standardized educational interventions need to be implemented to promote training in CPR maneuvers and early defibrillation. Keywords: Sudden cardiac death; athletes; sports; therapeutics; emergencies; resuscitation.
Introduzione: La Morte Cardiaca Improvvisa (MCI) rappresenta un decesso inatteso causato da fattori cardiovascolari, verificandosi entro un'ora dall'insorgenza dei sintomi in individui sani. Sebbene lo sport non sia la causa primaria, può scatenare arresti cardiaci improvvisi in atleti con predisposizioni cardiache latenti, con un'incidenza stimata di 2,3 casi su 100.000 atleti all'anno, variabile per età, sesso, sport ed etnia. Le ricerche evidenziano differenze significative nell'eziologia della MCI tra atleti italiani e statunitensi, possibilmente influenzate dal programma nazionale di screening dei giovani atleti italiani prima delle competizioni sportive. Le tragedie di atleti come Marc-Vivien Foe, Piermario Morosini, Vigor Bovolenta e Christian Eriksen hanno portato a cambiamenti legislativi, preventivi e educativi nello sport italiano. Le leggi e i decreti hanno regolamentato l'obbligo e l'uso dei defibrillatori negli impianti sportivi per migliorare le probabilità di sopravvivenza in caso di MCI. Inoltre, è stato introdotto il "screening medico pre-competitivo" per individuare potenziali anomalie cardiache nei calciatori partecipanti ai tornei FIFA e nazionali. L'obiettivo di questa ricerca era investigare riguardo a come prevenire e gestire la MCI nei giovani atleti. Materiali e metodi: È stata eseguita dunque una ricerca della letteratura attraverso le banche dati PubMed e Scopus andando a combinare con i termini booleani i successivi termini di ricerca. Risultati: Per un totale di 50 articoli esaminati, 35 sono stati esclusi per: assenza di abstract, partecipanti agli studi non conformi con i criteri di ricerca, focus degli articoli non inerente ai criteri di ricerca; un totale di 15 articoli sono stati inclusi per l'esecuzione della revisione. Conclusione: È fondamentale sviluppare e approfondire ricerche per creare programmi di screening pre-partecipazione efficaci nella diagnosi precoce di condizioni cardiache letali. È cruciale assicurare un accesso uniforme e generalizzato ai DAE in conformità con le attuali normative italiane. Inoltre, è necessario implementare interventi educativi innovativi e standardizzati al fine di promuovere la formazione sulle manovre di RCP e sulla defibrillazione precoce. Parole Chiave: Sudden cardiac death; athletes; sports; therapeutics; emergencies; resuscitation.
Gestione e prevenzione della morte cardiaca improvvisa nei giovani atleti: una revisione della letteratura
FELICIONI, ARIANNA
2022/2023
Abstract
Introduction: Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) represents an unexpected death caused by cardiovascular factors, occurring within an hour of symptom onset in healthy individuals. Although sport is not the primary cause, it can trigger sudden cardiac arrests in athletes with latent cardiac predispositions, with an estimated incidence of 2.3 cases per 100,000 athletes per year, varying by age, gender, sport, and ethnicity. Research highlights significant differences in the etiology of SCD between Italian and American athletes, possibly influenced by the Italian national screening program for young athletes before sports competitions. Tragedies involving athletes such as Marc-Vivien Foe, Piermario Morosini, Vigor Bovolenta, and Christian Eriksen have led to legislative, preventive, and educational changes in Italian sports. Laws and decrees have regulated the obligation and use of defibrillators in sports facilities to improve survival chances in the event of SCD. Additionally, "pre-competitive medical screening" has been introduced to identify potential cardiac anomalies in soccer players participating in FIFA and national tournaments. The aim of this research was to investigate how to prevent and manage SCD in young athletes. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases, combining subsequent search terms with Boolean operators. Results: Out of a total of 50 articles examined, 35 were excluded due to: lack of abstract, study participants not meeting search criteria, article focus not relevant to search criteria; a total of 15 articles were included for review. Conclusion: It is essential to develop and deepen research to create effective pre-participation screening programs for early diagnosis of lethal cardiac conditions. Ensuring uniform and widespread access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in accordance with current Italian regulations is crucial. Furthermore, innovative and standardized educational interventions need to be implemented to promote training in CPR maneuvers and early defibrillation. Keywords: Sudden cardiac death; athletes; sports; therapeutics; emergencies; resuscitation.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12075/17368