The Athlete's ECG: The Potential Utility in Screening and Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death

Purpose of Review The purpose of the review is to discuss the role of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in screening and diagnostic evaluation for the young athletic population. It additionally reviews the incidence of sudden cardiac death, the limitations of the ECG, and the importance of emergency action plans. Recent Findings Recent findings show that while heavily debated regarding its role for screening purposes in preparticipation evaluations, emerging consensus guidelines have helped improve the false positive rate of ECGs to detect cardiac abnormalities that may contribute to sudden cardiac death (SCD). Summary In summary, the ECG has a significant role in detection of cardiac abnormalities in the athletic population. The International Criteria have improved the false positive rate while maintaining sensitivity and specificity for detection of pathologic ECG changes. Limitations exist as rare cases of SCD still occur making it imperative for the physician providing care for the athlete to have an emergency action plan in place.