How to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death During Exercise

Prevention of SCD during Sports
Initially, sufferers are often asymptomatic with excellent physical performance and SCD is the first clinical manifestation. EKG screening can be useful in uncovering underlying cardiac abnormalities. The EKG is a simple, concise, easily accessible, inexpensive, and in many cases sufficient to provide clues to the presence of cardiac disease or channelopathy that puts the risk of SCD during exercise. ECG examination is recommended for anyone who does sports, even just as a hobby.

Amateur sporting activities are no less risky than competitive sports. It is believed that most SCD occurs during amateur sports, which are often performed outdoors and even in secluded and isolated settings. Therefore, automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) must be available in centers or areas used for sports activities such as squares, schools, public offices, and in private buildings (both business and residential), and when there are competitions. . Increasing efforts to procure AEDs and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in all populations should be an achievable target to reduce SCD during sports. To increase the number of survivors or sufferers who survive SCD (currently very few), it is necessary to increase the number of potential rescuers who are able to recognize an attack or cardiac arrest, then at least start performing CPR and apply AEDs as soon as possible. In addition, socialization of AEDs is essential for this purpose, as well as promotion of their use beyond only trained persons. Therefore, it is highly recommended to allow volunteers who have not received basic life support (BLS) training to use AEDs and also triple the safety rate in SCD occurring outside the hospital. The AED must be equipped with the necessary instructions for proper use and provide rescue personnel with an opportunity to interact with emergency responders by phone or video call to receive assistance as soon as possible.