HEART SCREENING FOR ATHLETES

[Gross]

Saw this on the BBC Scotland website...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 556638.stm

A new scheme introduced to screen upto 4000 young athletes a year? Andy Kitch.... have you got any info on this????

[Kitch]

to be honest I can think of better ways to spend £200k
but then I suspect I'm a bit of a fatalist
I'd rather enjoy myself to the full in sport than be told I mustn't cos I might die, certainly as a youngster.
Purely personal view

Obviously anyone wanting the screening should try and get on the programme and perhaps people need to be aware its available, maybe brief info and a link from SOA website as follows ? Paul ?

The Cardiac Assessment in Young Athletes (CAYA) pilot programme will offer cardiovascular screening on a voluntary basis to young Scots over the age of 16 who take part in any organised amateur sports. The £200,000 CAYA programme will use ECG and ultrasound screening to identify whether the athletes being tested are at increased risk of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD)(which is a rare occurrence). The two-year pilot is a joint project between the Scottish Government, the Scottish Football Association and the University of Glasgow.
contact:
Sports Medicine Centre, Hampden Park, Glasgow
telephone: 0141 616 6161
http://www.sportsmedicinecentre.org/

[Neil M40]

Training for endurance sports results in modifications to the heart muscle - just as it does for any other muscle you are using. The result is that many endurance athletes have what are considered abnormal ECGs, even though there is never likely to be anything serious wrong with them. Doctors have no idea where to draw the line between a normal athlete's modified ECG and someone likely to develop a genuine problem. The result of the screening is likely to be to discourage lots of young people from taking part in sport when only a very small number of them were ever at real risk. This is sending out the wrong message - that sport can be bad for your heart. The benefits of cardiovascular training far outweigh the risks of Sudden Cardiac Death.

Although if you were one of the handful at risk it might save your life.

I agree with Kitch - I'd rather enjoy my sport.