The detection of sudden cardiac death sports preparticipation in sports population adult: a narrative review

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Introduction

The practice of sports by the general population is increasing, and, despite being beneficial to health, it can also increase the risk of sudden death. In recent studies, screening tests have been suggested to identify at-risk people and prevent sudden cardiac death. There is, however, considerable debate about who to screen, how to screen, and whether these programs are effective. Thus, it is important to review the scientific evidence in the literature on the most appropriate tests for preventing sudden cardiac death in adults and the role of nursing in your implementation.

Methods

A narrative Literature review. The content analysis method has been used (Mayring, 2000). Data from the papers was fragmented into descriptive codes assigned based on their content. The search was carried out in May 2022. The databases used were SCOPUS, WEB of Science, and PUBMED.A combination of the following keywords was used for adapted descriptors in each database: ‘sudden cardiac death’, ‘sport’, ‘screening ‘, ‘adults’ and ‘athletes ‘. Taking into account the complexity of the study subject, the inclusion criteria were: all the articles published in the past ten years in peer-reviewed journals in English and Spanish. 2 Investigators excluded duplicated studies and read and evaluated the title and abstract of the studies found. Articles which did not address the questions of the investigation were ruled out. Thereafter, all the articles published in the previous ten years and considered relevant to the review were included. The content analysis method has been used (Mayring, 2000). Data from the papers was fragmented into descriptive codes assigned based on their content.

Results

The results are organized:

a) Clinical history and physical examination b) Electrocardiogram c) Other tests d) Clinical guidelines. Finally, 14 articles were analyzed, mostly literature reviews focused on the sports population.

Conclusions

The present study highlights a need to design specific and efficient screening strategies for sports preparticipation. Bearing this in mind, correct detection and prevention of sudden cardiac death is essential to ensure safe sports practice. For this, it is recommended to have a pre-sports participation cardiovascular examination. In addition, such a preparticipation cardiovascular evaluation offers the potential for detecting other potentially lethal cardiovascular conditions. Similarly, the nursing staff's role in these procedures ranges from the educational aspect to the supervision of the equipment and adequate organization to carry out the assessment.