Sports cardiology

Sports Cardiology
A screening electrocardiogram being performed in a female athlete
SystemCardiovascular
Significant diseasesHypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, Long QT syndrome, Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, Sudden death (sport)
Significant testselectrophysiology study, cardiac imaging, ECG, echocardiograms, stress test
SpecialistSports Cardiologist

Sports cardiology is an emerging subspecialty field of Cardiology.[1][2][3] It may also be considered a subspecialty field of Sports medicine (or Sport & Exercise Medicine), or alternatively a hybrid subspecialty that spans cardiology and sports medicine. Emergency medicine is another medical specialty that has some overlap with Sports Cardiology. Sports cardiology is now considered to be a distinct subspecialty in Europe and the USA, with a core curriculum developed in both regions.[4][5][6] In Europe it has traditionally been grouped under Preventive Cardiology, but the subspecialty of Sports Cardiology is now considered a distinct field. In the USA, it has developed from being a special interest area to a distinct subspecialty as well.

Sports cardiology can be roughly divided into two areas itself:

  • Prevention of cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death in exercising individuals, including those with no known heart disease. The entails both primary prevention and acute response.
  • Management of athletes and other exercising individuals with known heart disease.

The preventive aspect of Sports Cardiology aligns slightly more with the speciality of Sports Medicine (doctors who look after athletes and exercising people), acute response with Emergency medicine, whereas the management of athletes with known heart disease is more aligned with the Cardiology side of Sports Cardiology. Sports Cardiology as a cardiology subspecialty overlaps with Electrophysiology, Cardiac Stress Testing, Echocardiography and other cardiac imaging, Genetic testing, and Cardiomyopathy.

Formal education for doctors is now available in Sports Cardiology, such as a Masters Degree in Sports Cardiology at St George's, University of London[7] and at the University of Padua, in Italy.[8]

  1. ^ Halle, M; Löllgen, H (May 2014). "Sports cardiology: more than caring for athletes". European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 21 (5): 656–7. doi:10.1177/2047487313518279. PMID 24396115. S2CID 206819852.
  2. ^ Rakhit, D; Marwick, TH; Prior, DL; La Gerche, A (September 2018). "Sports Cardiology - A Bona Fide Sub-Specialty". Heart, Lung & Circulation. 27 (9): 1034–1036. doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2018.04.303. PMID 30029872. S2CID 51704303.
  3. ^ Lawless, CE (July 2015). "How to Practice Sports Cardiology: A Cardiology Perspective". Clinics in Sports Medicine. 34 (3): 539–49. doi:10.1016/j.csm.2015.03.009. PMID 26100427.
  4. ^ Heidbuchel, H; Papadakis, M; Panhuyzen-Goedkoop, N; Carré, F; Dugmore, D; Mellwig, KP; Rasmusen, HK; Solberg, EE; Borjesson, M; Corrado, D; Pelliccia, A; Sharma, S; Sports Cardiology Section of European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (EACPR) of European Society of Cardiology, (ESC). (October 2013). "Position paper: proposal for a core curriculum for a European Sports Cardiology qualification". European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 20 (5): 889–903. doi:10.1177/2047487312446673. PMID 22582328. S2CID 41412648.
  5. ^ Fabris, E; Kennedy, MW (7 March 2017). "International Subspecialty Fellowship Training, the Path for Cardiologists of Tomorrow? A European perspective". Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 69 (9): 1200–1203. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.01.021. hdl:11368/2962659. PMID 28254183.
  6. ^ Baggish, AL; Battle, RW; Beckerman, JG; Bove, AA; Lampert, RJ; Levine, BD; Link, MS; Martinez, MW; Molossi, SM; Salerno, J; Wasfy, MM; Weiner, RB; Emery, MS; ACC’s Sports and Exercise Council Leadership, Group. (10 October 2017). "Sports Cardiology: Core Curriculum for Providing Cardiovascular Care to Competitive Athletes and Highly Active People". Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 70 (15): 1902–1918. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.08.055. PMID 28982505.
  7. ^ "Sports Cardiology". www.sgul.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  8. ^ "CRDS - Sports Cardiology". Unipd Executive Learning. Retrieved 2024-03-05.