The Historical Perspective of Athletic Sudden Death

Since antiquity, the athlete has been elevated to a heroic status both within small communities and at the international level. Although numerous population studies have estimated athletic sudden death to be a rare event, the consequences resonate far beyond those directly affected. Sports cardiology has evolved as a result of these tragedies, which highlighted a need for safer play and more programmatic protection of the athlete in play. In this article, athletic sudden death is analyzed from a historical and literary perspective and the development of modern initiatives to protect athletes from sudden death is reviewed.