[Early defibrillation with automated external defibrillators during sports events]

Sports-related cardiovascular events may occur in both young athletes and the general population, the latter having a higher absolute risk. In mass gathering sports events, the availability of an onsite emergency response plan including early access to automated external defibrillators by trained lay rescuers has been shown to improve survival among spectators and staff with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and to reduce subsequent neurological deficit. In addition, in athletes experiencing cardiac arrest, the implementation of public access defibrillation programs demonstrated a favorable mortality trend, with survival rates comparable to those observed in adult sedentary subjects. In Italy and much of Europe, current emergency action plans at sporting events still need full implementation. In particular, in Italy no scientific statements on this topic have been developed. In order to compensate this lack of information, an ad hoc task force has been established with representatives of the major scientific societies involved in sports-based health and disease prevention, with the aim to address public access defibrillation programs for sporting events, and to promote awareness of appropriate cardiovascular emergency care at sports arenas.