Dec 2, 2024 Story by: Publisher
A comprehensive review of data, recently published in The Lancet and led by Emory sports cardiologist Jonathan Kim, MD, reveals that Black athletes face a significantly higher risk—nearly five times greater—of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to their White counterparts. Despite an overall decline in SCD rates among athletes, SCA and SCD remain the leading causes of mortality, particularly in high-intensity sports.
The racial disparities in SCA and SCD rates underscore the urgent need for deeper exploration of social determinants of health in younger athletes, an area that has been largely under-researched, according to Dr. Kim.
Drawing on three decades of national and international data on SCA and SCD in athletes, Kim and a team of researchers from Lausanne University Hospital, Morristown Medical, Massachusetts General Hospital, and other leading institutions, also reviewed persistent inequities in athlete electrocardiography (ECG) screenings. These screenings, now a standard practice for competitive athletes, often result in more false positives for Black athletes.
False positives can lead to undue stress and, in cases where follow-up testing is inaccessible, leave athletes without confirmation of the accuracy of their results. This creates additional challenges for individuals with limited access to comprehensive healthcare, potentially jeopardizing their athletic careers and overall well-being.
Social determinants of health, including economic stability, access to healthcare, proximity to facilities, health literacy, and discrimination, play a critical role in these disparities. Dr. Kim emphasized the importance of integrating these factors into research to better understand and mitigate their impact.
“To truly address these disparities, it’s not enough to just screen for potential problems. There needs to be an understanding of how to tackle the underlying social determinants of health that put these athletes at a greater risk,” Dr. Kim stated.
The Lancet review highlights that effectively managing sudden cardiac arrest in athletes begins with thorough pre-participation evaluations (PPE). This process requires careful planning, sufficient resources, and follow-up care when abnormalities are detected. “We need to look for potential underlying health conditions. We also need to consider all the environmental stressors that young individuals have to deal with and where they grow up,” Dr. Kim explained.
Kim added that a comprehensive PPE history and physical examination should include appropriate follow-up, particularly when ECG abnormalities are identified.
Looking ahead, the increasing attention to these disparities represents a significant shift in focus. “Just five to ten years ago, I doubt many were thinking about social determinants of health and impacts on young athletes,” Kim noted. He stressed the importance of not only raising critical questions but also taking meaningful action. “Moving forward, it’s essential to continue raising these questions but also taking action to address them.” Source: News Medical
