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Following the death of 26-year-old runner
Anna Loyley minutes after the 1998 Bath Half, UK Athletics, in
conjunction with the National Sports Medicine Institute, established an
expert panel to examine the issue of screening runners who take part in
road races. The goal was to identify the heart disorders that cause
Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS).
SDS claims four victims every week in the UK alone, and is the most
common cause of unexpected death in people under 30. It normally affects
otherwise fit and healthy individuals.
'While sport is not a direct
cause, it can trigger the condition,' says Alison Cox of the charity
Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). 'For a young person who has an existing
heart condition, but doesn't know about it, the amount of effort
they give to sport can significantly increase their risk of cardiac
arrest.'
CRY is campaigning for widespread screening of youngsters who take
part in sports and fitness activities. It runs a mobile screening unit
that offers subsidised rates to athletics clubs.
'The incidence of sudden death in mass running events remains relatively
rare, at around one in 80,000 runners, but it's definitely something we
are focusing our attention on, ' says Dr Malcolm Brown, medical director
of UK athletics. 'Initially, we're planning a questionnaire of risk
assessment, then we'll use the results to determine whether runners need
a referral for more tests.'
In Italy, research on sudden death in young people was enough to
convince experts that cardiovascular screening was a vital step in
identifying individuals at risk. As a result, every Italian athlete must
undergo assessments and obtain a fitness certificate before they can
compete in any sporting event.
For information regarding SDS, contact CRY, PO BOX 28,
Ashtead,
Surrey, KT21 1BW; 01372 276187; e-mail cry@c-r-y.org.uk;
www.c-r-y.org.uk.
Listen to Your Heart
Take a minute to look at this checklist, created by RW Medical
Advisor Dr Patrick Milroy. If you answer yes to any of the following
questions, then it's well worth visiting your GP - if anything, it will
just put your mind at rest. Don't worry though, because as a runner
you're likely to be the fittest person your doc sees that day.
- Have you ever experienced any pain or discomfort in your chest,
especially during exercise?
- Has this chest pain ever been accompanied by pain in your left
shoulder or neck?
- Have you ever felt short of breath, either at rest or following
lower levels of exertion than you're used to?
- Have your ankles ever swollen unexpectedly?
- Is your pulse ever unsteady or irregular?
- Have you ever experienced palpitations, or a thumping in your
chest, particularly at rest?
- Do you have a congenital heart problem?
- Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure, but left it
untreated?
- Is there a history of heart attacks or strokes in your immediate
family?
- Do you have a family history of abnormally high levels of blood
cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia)?
With permission from Runners World
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