Call to check athletes’ hearts
BBC News Online, Health section – 2nd February 2005
European heart experts are calling for all young athletes to be screened for potentially fatal heart problems before they compete.
Footballer Marc-Vivien Foe and Daniel Yorath, son of former Wales manager Terry, both died of previously undetected heart conditions.
The report by European Society of Cardiology experts is published in the European Heart Journal.
But UK heart experts said such a scheme would be extremely expensive.
The study suggested every young athlete involved in organised sport should have a detailed health check, which includes an analysis of their own and their family’s medical history – and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check their heart.
They suggest that implementing such checks across Europe could reduce sports-related cardiac deaths in Europe by 50-70%……..
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