Sudden cardiac death in a 20-year-old male swimmer

In young adults, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is an acknowledged risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in an otherwise healthy and active patient. While the incidence of SCD in young people is not high enough for extensive, wide-scale examinations, the potential for prevention of some deaths via pre-exercise imaging may be beneficial in certain patient populations, such as those with a family history of SCD or professional athletes. We present the case of a healthy 20-year-old man with no past medical history who died while swimming in a river, likely secondary to cardiac arrest in the setting of HOCM.