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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

ONE IN EVERY 44,000 COLLEGE ATHLETES MAY BE AT RISK FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH

The Seattle Times (4/4, Wong) reported, "College athletes across the nation suffer from sudden cardiac death up to seven times more frequently than previously reported," according to a study published Monday by in the journal Circulation. The analysis of "400,000 athletes who participate in National Collegiate Athletic Association sports every year," also indicated that women college athletes are at a "far higher risk than previously believed."

According to the AP (4/4), the researchers tracked an "NCAA database of athlete deaths, news media reports and insurance records" and found "45 heart-related deaths over five years among these elite student-athletes, an average of nine a year." The risk equates to "one death among roughly every 44,000 NCAA athletes," noted study author Dr. Kimberly Harmon from the University of Washington.

The Los Angeles Times (4/4) "Booster Shots" noted that incidence "varied dramatically by sport." The highest rate was in "Division 1 basketball, with one death per 3,146 players per year." The study was also covered by WebMD (4/4, Hendrick) and HeartWire (4/4, Miller).

Posted by Steven Almany M.D.

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