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11:58
Minimally Invasive Thumb-sized Pterional Craniotomy for Surgical Clip Ligation of Unruptured Anterior Circulation Aneurysms
Published on: August 11, 2015
Routine screening of young athletes for aneurysm: PRO
1Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital, PO Box 208039, New Haven, CT 06520-8039, USA. john.elefteriades@yale.edu
Cardiology Clinics
|May 11, 2010
Summary
Young athletes with undiagnosed aortic enlargement face risks of aortic dissection during intense exercise due to sudden hypertension. Routine echocardiograms are recommended to prevent these fatal events in promising athletes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Ascending aortic enlargement in young athletes is a poorly understood condition.
- Athletic exertion can precipitate acute hypertensive episodes.
- Aortic dissection is a life-threatening cardiovascular emergency.
Observation:
- Young athletes with moderate, undiagnosed ascending aortic enlargement are at risk.
- Intense physical activity can cause transient, severe hypertension.
- This combination can lead to fatal aortic dissection.
Findings:
- Sudden hypertension during exertion is a critical factor in exercise-induced aortic dissection.
- Undiagnosed aortic enlargement significantly elevates dissection risk in athletes.
- The phenomenon is causing preventable deaths in promising young athletes.
Implications:
- Routine echocardiographic screening of young athletes is proposed.
- Early detection of aortic enlargement can mitigate dissection risk.
- Implementing screening protocols may save the lives of elite young athletes.
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