Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading cause of death in young athletes! To manage SCD during athletic practices and competitions, many health-related organizations including the Athletic Trainers' Society of New Jersey (ATDNJ) have issued management guidelines.
TRENTON, NJ--Along with Valentine’s Day, February marks American Heart Month, a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health. In addition, it is a time to prepare your organization for the possibility of a cardiac emergency.
The Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey (ATSNJ) is urging sports programs to prepare comprehensive guidelines for emergency planning and management of sudden cardiac arrest in athletics.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading cause of death in young athletes.To manage SCD during athletic practices and competitions, many health-related organizations have issued management guidelines.
“Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), is the most common cause of SCD and it is the most common cause of sudden death in athletes. The scary part is that HCM often goes undetected,” states Eric A. Schwartz, MEd, LAT, ATC, President of the ATSNJ. In the event of sudden cardiac arrest, the strongest determinate of survival is the time from cardiac arrest to defibrillation. Access to defibrillation within three to five minutes is essential. Each minute lost reduces the chance of survival by approximately ten percent. Increased training and the practicing of emergency action plans will help rescuers correctly identify sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and prevent critical delays in beginning resuscitation. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to athletes, officials, team staffs and spectators alike. It’s vital that comprehensive emergency planning, management and preparations are in place to ensure a timely and efficient response to SCA.
The ATSNJ key recommendations include:
1. Emergency Preparedness
2. Management of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Schwartz also advocates that sports programs develop formal emergency action plans and practice them to best prepare themselves for emergency situations when they occur. Sports programs interested in learning more about what they can do to prepare an emergency action plan should contact the ATSNJ at 973-933-4933 or visit the ATSNJ website at http://www.atsnj.org.
ATSNJ, Inc. consists of licensed athletic trainers, physicians and other allied health care professionals whose goal is to promote quality healthcare for athletes in any setting. For more information, please visit us on the web at http://www.atsnj.org or on Facebook (ATSNJ’s New Jersey Sports Safety), Twitter (@NJSportSafety) and Instagram (atsnj).
References
1. Hazinski MF, Markenson D, Neish S, et al. Response to cardiac arrest and selected life-threatening medical emergencies: the medical emergency response plan for schools: A statement for healthcare providers, policymakers, school administrators, and community leaders. Circulation 2004;109(2):278-91.
2. Andersen J, Courson RW, Kleiner DM, McLoda TA. National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Emergency Planning in Athletics. J Athl Train 2002;37(1):99-104.
3. Drezner JD, Courson RW, Roberts WO, Mosesso VN, Link MS, Maron BJ. Inter-Association Task Force Recommendation on Emergency Preparedness and Management of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in High School and College Athletic Programs: A Consensus Statement
SOURCE: PR Web