Evaluating Athletes Who Have Heart Symptoms

In brief Athletes who have heart symptoms need the same type of evaluation as nonathletes who have such symptoms, except that the evaluation generally should include testing during exercise. In history taking, be aware that an athlete may try to minimize heart symptoms in an effort to avoid restrictions on participation. Syncope and related symptoms are Important in that they may reflect an arrhythmia caused by a potentially fatal condition. Syncope or near syncope also may be caused by cat- echolamine-dependent tachycardia, which usually responds to treatment with β-blockers.