About UPI  |  UPI en Español   |   My Account
Free News Update:
United Press International - News. Analysis. Insight.™ - 100 Years of Journalistic Excellence
  • Home
  • Top News
  • Entertainment
  • Odd News
  • Sports
    • Baseball
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Olympics 2008
    • Tennis
  • Business
  • Science
  • Health
  • Analysis
    • Energy Resources
    • Security Industry
    • Emerging Threats
  • Video
  • News Photos
Search:
Go
Advertise on UPI
You are here:  Home / Health News / Athletes should be screened for heart

Health News

View archive | RSS Feed

Athletes should be screened for heart

Published: July 4, 2008 at 12:24 AM
Order reprints  |  Print Story  |  Email to a Friend  |  Post a Comment
FLORENCE, Italy, July 4 (UPI) -- Athletes should be screened for heart health because one competitive U.S. athlete dies every three days from an unrecognized heart disorder, a researcher said.

Young athletes who take part in competitive sports should be screened for potentially fatal heart problems before they compete, a study published in the British Medical Journal said.

For the past 25 years, competitive athletes in Italy had to have two electrocardiograms -- a test to measure the electrical activity of the heart -- one at rest and one while exercising.

Dr. Francesco Sofi of the University of Florence and colleagues analyzed data from 30,065 athletes who underwent a complete pre-participation cardiovascular evaluation at the Institute of Sports Medicine in Florence during a five-year period.

During the resting ECGs, the researchers found that 1.2 percent of participants had distinctly abnormal test results. The results from the ECGs taken during exercise found that 4.9 percent of participants had some form of heart abnormality.

The age of people with problems found only during the exercise ECG, was also significantly higher -- 30.9 years old compared to 24.9 years old -- than those who had normal test results.

Of the 159 people disqualified from a sport for heart problems, six would have been identified through regular physical examination alone.



© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
News Photos Slideshows
Photos of the Day
Week in Photos
News
Entertainment
Sports
Features
Archives
Olympics 2008
Path to the Presidency
Most Popular
Stories
Photos
Videos
1.
Stem cells being used for bigger breasts
2.
Study: U.S. teen suicide spike continues
3.
Woman's gait predicts sexual pleasure
4.
Study: Asthma linked to child abuse
5.
Men better at sex after their team wins
Path to the Presidency


Videos
Enlarge Video
Delegates' reaction: McCain's speech
Delegates' reaction: McCain's speech
Friday, September 5
Hats off to partying on
Hats off to partying on
Thursday, September 4
McCain set to accept party nomination
McCain set to accept party nomination
Thursday, September 4
Household vampires
Household vampires
Wednesday, August 6
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Official Government Wires  |   About UPI  |   Site Map  |   Terms of Use  |   Privacy Policy  |   Advertise Online  |   Contact Us

Sponsored Links: Auto Dealers - Fundraisers - Press Release Services - prom dresses - Prom dresses and gowns - Wedding and Honeymoon Experts - Motivational Sports Speakers Bureau