Most competitive athletes in Europe undergo a physical examination and a detailed
analysis of personal and family health history. Since 1982, Italy has required all athletes between ages 12 and 35
to get electrocardiograms (known as EKG) before playing competitive sports.
About 2 percent are disqualified when the EKG reveals a previously undiagnosed
heart condition. Following a study conducted by the Institute of Sports Medicine in Florence, Italian researchers are now calling for
mandatory testing of the heart health of would-be competitors worldwide. Citing
it as a way to save lives, they specifically recommend use of EKGs.The study
found that a significant number of seemingly healthy athletes collapse and die
from undiagnosed heart abnormalities. It also revealed that recording heart
activity during exercise can reveal four times as many abnormalities as a
physical exam.
The problem has an international reach. According
to the BBC, an estimated 100 athletes in Britain die of ‘sudden cardiac arrests’ annually. The
figure is higher in America, where it is estimated that one athlete dies of
undiagnosed cardiovascular disorder every three days.
