Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a tragic and often preventable event that claims the lives of approximately 12 young people under 35 each week in the UK alone. Globally, SCD accounts for 10–20% of all deaths and 50% of all cardiovascular deaths, and is often the first manifestation of underlying heart disease. For athletes and physically active people, the risk — though rare — is heightened by the demands intense activity places on the heart.

M.I.A.L. Healthcare's Comprehensive Cardiology Prevention Screening Service is designed specifically for athletes and sports enthusiasts, aiming to identify hidden cardiac conditions early.

Understanding sudden cardiac death

  • SCD affects approximately 250,000 people annually in Europe and 360,000 in the US
  • Up to 50% of SCD cases are the first sign of underlying heart disease
  • Incidence varies by age, sex and location, from 0.8 to 6.2 cases per 100,000 people
  • Survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains low even with immediate resuscitation

Common causes in young athletes (under 35)

  • Inherited/structural conditions: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, congenital coronary artery anomalies
  • Electrical disorders: Long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
  • Acquired conditions: myocarditis, commotio cordis, idiopathic myocardial fibrosis

In athletes over 35, coronary artery disease becomes the leading cause, accounting for up to 80% of cases.

The power of prevention

Most cardiovascular conditions responsible for SCD are clinically silent and unlikely to be detected from symptoms alone. In Italy, mandatory pre-participation sports screening (including ECG) since 1982 has led to an 89% reduction in SCD among athletes over 40 years (Corrado et al., Journal of the American College of Cardiology).

Our screening protocol

  • AI-powered ECG analysis (Cardio HART): integrates echocardiography, electrocardiography and clinical auscultation into a single device, detecting subtle abnormalities that may indicate cardiomyopathy or electrical disorders
  • Exercise Treadmill Test (ETT): unmasks conditions such as ischaemia or arrhythmias that are only triggered during physical exertion
  • Annual subscription model: ongoing annual screening to monitor heart health and detect changes early

References

  • Corrado D, Basso C, Schiavon M, Pelliccia A, Thiene G. Pre-participation screening of young competitive athletes for prevention of sudden cardiac death. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;52(24):1981-9.
  • Finocchiaro G, et al. Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2024.
  • Maron BJ, et al. Sudden Deaths in Young Competitive Athletes: Analysis of 1866 Deaths in the United States, 1980–2006.
  • World Health Organization. Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases.
  • Sharma S, et al. International recommendations for electrocardiographic interpretation in athletes. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(16):1466-1480.