WASHINGTON (AP) — Every so often a seemingly healthy young athlete suddenly collapses and dies of cardiac arrest. What kind of heart check-up is best at finding players at risk?
Experts debate whether it’s time to add routine EKGs to the pre-sports check-up. Now a study of more than 11,000 top teen soccer players in England highlights the challenge.
The good news: In-depth testing, including that EKG, uncovered a small number of at-risk players, some who had treatable disorders and eventually got back to play.
Yet the tests didn’t detect signs of trouble in a few additional athletes who later died — and came at a significant cost.
The study was published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine.