Clinical Characteristics and Emergency Response to Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Death Secondary to Cardiomyopathies in Young Athletes
7 affiliations
- 1Sports Cardiology Program, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- 2Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- 3Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 4Cardiovascular Performance Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 5Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
- 6Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- 7Department of Family Medicine and Center for Sports Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Abstract
Background: Cardiomyopathies (CMs) are a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest and death (SCA/D) among young competitive athletes.
Objectives: The objective of the study was to describe patient demographics, disease characteristics, circumstances, and resuscitative efforts for athletes with SCA/D related to CMs.
Methods: This observational study identified cases of SCA/D among young competitive athletes aged ≥11 years old competing in middle school, high school, club, college, or semiprofessional/professional sports, and former athletes (within 1 year of participation) through longitudinal surveillance.
Results: Among cases of athlete SCA/D identified from 2002 to 2023 with sufficient information to determine the etiology of SCA/D, 129/454 (28.4%) were attributed to CMs, including 81 (62.8%) hypertrophic CM, 22 (17.1%) arrhythmogenic CM, and 26 (20.2%) with other CMs. Athletes with SCA/D attributed to CMs spanned a wide age range (11-27 years), with hypertrophic CM cases occurring at the youngest average age compared with arrhythmogenic CM or other CM. A total of 87/129 (67.4%) SCA/D events occurred at a sporting facility. Most SCA/D events occurred during practice/training rather than formal games/competition (74.7% vs 25.3%; P < 0.0001) and across diverse venues including school and community sporting facilities. Survival from SCA related to CMs was reported in 45/129 (34.9%) of athletes. Survivors of SCA were more likely to receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (97.6% vs 80.6%; P = 0.04) and have on-site automated external defibrillator use (72.4% vs 16.2%; P = 0.0001).
Conclusions: SCA/D due to CMs in young athletes occurs across a broad age spectrum and at diverse sports settings. These findings inform funding priorities and resource allocation to optimize emergency preparedness for SCA/D in sport.
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BibTeX
@article{petek2026clinical,
title = {{Clinical Characteristics and Emergency Response to Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Death Secondary to Cardiomyopathies in Young Athletes}},
author = {Bradley J. Petek and Samantha L. Weller and Timothy W. Churchill and Joseph J. Maleszewski and Randi Delong and Barbara P. Goettsch and Kristen L. Kucera and Kimberly G. Harmon and Jonathan A. Drezner},
journal = {JACC: Advances},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.103093},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.103093},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Clinical Characteristics and Emergency Response to Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Death Secondary to Cardiomyopathies in Young Athletes
AU - Bradley J. Petek
AU - Samantha L. Weller
AU - Timothy W. Churchill
AU - Joseph J. Maleszewski
AU - Randi Delong
AU - Barbara P. Goettsch
AU - Kristen L. Kucera
AU - Kimberly G. Harmon
AU - Jonathan A. Drezner
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
JO - JACC: Advances
DO - 10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.103093
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.103093
AB - Background: Cardiomyopathies (CMs) are a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest and death (SCA/D) among young competitive athletes. Objectives: The objective of the study was to describe patient demographics, disease characteristics, circumstances, and resuscitative efforts for athletes with SCA/D related to CMs. Methods: This observational study identified cases of SCA/D among young competitive athletes aged ≥11 years old competing in middle school, high school, club, college, or semiprofessional/professional sports, and former athletes (within 1 year of participation) through longitudinal surveillance. Results: Among cases of athlete SCA/D identified from 2002 to 2023 with sufficient information to determine the etiology of SCA/D, 129/454 (28.4%) were attributed to CMs, including 81 (62.8%) hypertrophic CM, 22 (17.1%) arrhythmogenic CM, and 26 (20.2%) with other CMs. Athletes with SCA/D attributed to CMs spanned a wide age range (11-27 years), with hypertrophic CM cases occurring at the youngest average age compared with arrhythmogenic CM or other CM. A total of 87/129 (67.4%) SCA/D events occurred at a sporting facility. Most SCA/D events occurred during practice/training rather than formal games/competition (74.7% vs 25.3%; P < 0.0001) and across diverse venues including school and community sporting facilities. Survival from SCA related to CMs was reported in 45/129 (34.9%) of athletes. Survivors of SCA were more likely to receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (97.6% vs 80.6%; P = 0.04) and have on-site automated external defibrillator use (72.4% vs 16.2%; P = 0.0001). Conclusions: SCA/D due to CMs in young athletes occurs across a broad age spectrum and at diverse sports settings. These findings inform funding priorities and resource allocation to optimize emergency preparedness for SCA/D in sport.
SN - 2772-963X
ER -