Preventing young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, and supporting affected families.

01737 363222

[email protected]

Facebook-f Youtube Instagram
Search
  • Home
  • Support
    • After a Young Sudden Cardiac Death
      • Bereavement Support
      • Individual Support
      • Coroner
      • Coroner Inquest Support
      • Memorial Funds
      • My Story
    • Living with a condition
      • myheart – Support Network
  • Cardiac Screening
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Research
    • CRY’s Research
    • Research Fellows
    • Research Fellowship Grants
    • CRY Cardiology Conference
  • Medical Information
    • Resources for GPs
    • Sample ECGs
    • myheart – Support Network
  • Fundraising
    • Become a CRY Fundraiser
    • Fundraising Hub
    • Fundraising FAQ’s
    • Find an Event
    • Upcoming Supporter Led Events
    • Event Write Ups
    • Memorial Funds
    • Proceeds to CRY
  • Awareness
    • Ambassadors
    • In the Media
      • National News
      • Regional News
    • CRY Press Office
    • CRY Press Release
    • Volunteer for CRY
    • Patrons
  • About Us
    • Ambassadors
    • Contact Us
    • Representatives
    • Parliament
    • Patrons
    • CRY Staff
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • Home
  • Support
    • After a Young Sudden Cardiac Death
      • Bereavement Support
      • Individual Support
      • Coroner
      • Coroner Inquest Support
      • Memorial Funds
      • My Story
    • Living with a condition
      • myheart – Support Network
  • Cardiac Screening
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Research
    • CRY’s Research
    • Research Fellows
    • Research Fellowship Grants
    • CRY Cardiology Conference
  • Medical Information
    • Resources for GPs
    • Sample ECGs
    • myheart – Support Network
  • Fundraising
    • Become a CRY Fundraiser
    • Fundraising Hub
    • Fundraising FAQ’s
    • Find an Event
    • Upcoming Supporter Led Events
    • Event Write Ups
    • Memorial Funds
    • Proceeds to CRY
  • Awareness
    • Ambassadors
    • In the Media
      • National News
      • Regional News
    • CRY Press Office
    • CRY Press Release
    • Volunteer for CRY
    • Patrons
  • About Us
    • Ambassadors
    • Contact Us
    • Representatives
    • Parliament
    • Patrons
    • CRY Staff
  • Shop
  • Donate

Professor Sanjay Sharma – CRY Consultant Cardiologist

Professor Sanjay Sharma

I have been involved with CRY since 1996 and our research has led to many “firsts” in the scientific literature.

  •  The research funded by cardiac risk in the young was largely responsible for the development of the international recommendations for ECG interpretation in athletes, which is used globally. 
  • Our nationwide screening program for individuals aged 14 to 35, as shown that one in 300 apparently healthy individuals has a serious, cardiac fault. A diagnosis leads to intervention with life-saving therapy in 40% of cases.
  • Working with families of victims of sudden death, our research has shown that the brugada syndrome is the most common cause of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) in the UK.
  • Investigation of family members of victims of idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy, our findings suggest that this entity is separate from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and requires more comprehensive assessment to exclude ion channel disease.
  • CRY were the first to provide information on the physiological upper limits of cardiac dimensions in adult National British athletes (Published in European Journal of Applied Physiology).
  • CRY were the first organisation ever to characterise cardiac dimensions in a large cohort of adolescent athletes, who are most vulnerable to sudden death during sport from cardiomyopathy. Landmark studies in the Journal of American College of Cardiology and Heart are the main international studies on this subject.
  • CRY wrote the first paper on ECG changes in adolescent athletes (1000 athletes studied) which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and is a blueprint for the European Society of Sports Cardiology.
  • CRY have performed the only study on cardiovascular adaptation in athletes of West African origin. The results show that ECGs in black athletes are quite different to those in white athletes and could be mistaken for serious cardiac disorder.
  • CRY are the first organisation to state the prevalence and significance of an isolated long QT interval in elite athletes. This study has called for revision of consensus guidelines published by the American College of Cardiology.
  • CRY is the first to describe the prevalence of HCM in elite athletes.
CRY has contributed to the following papers, reports, abstracts and conference proceedings. All these articles have been authored (or co-authored) by cardiologists, doctors and research fellows working closely with CRY.
 

CRY's Papers and Publications

The use of cardiovascular modes of death in the office of national statistics mortality statistics

24/05/2025

Read the full article here J Westaby, A M Gabrawi, M N Sheppard

Read More »

Patterns & prevalence of myocardial fibrosis in masters endurance athletes

19/05/2025

Read the full research here S Fyyaz, R Tomoaia, W Javed, A Merghani, S Papatheodorou, G Parry-Williams, R Bhatia, N Chatrath, H Maclachlan, K Alfakih, J O’driscoll, M Papadakis, S Sharma, P Swoboda

Read More »

Utility of cardiopulmonary stress testing in differentiating LV remodelling and dilated cardiomyopathy in athletes with an enlarged ventricle and baseline depressed LV function

19/05/2025

Read the full research here S Marwaha, P Bulleros, Z Fanton, R Bhatia, H Maclachlan, G Finocchiaro, S Gati, S Prasad, M Papadakis, S Sharma 

Read More »

Cardiac electrical and anatomical remodelling in elite professional wrestlers: impact of sex differences

19/05/2025

Read the full research here L L Dei, M Papadakis, S Romano, L Sciarra, T C Minopoli, S Sharma, G Finocchiaro

Read More »

Exercise and phenotypic progression in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy

19/05/2025

Read the full research here T Minopoli, D Tardo, M Casian, A Petrone, L Dei, D Maritsa, K Halim, D Abiyoie, M Specterman, N Bunce, M Tome-Esteban, E Behr, M Papadakis, S Sharma, G Finocchiaro

Read More »

Cardiac adaptation in young and master cyclists

19/05/2025

Read the full research here I Juanes Dominguez, S Fyyaz, A Merghani, G Parry-Williams, S Papatheodorou, M Papadakis, S Sharma, G Finocchiaro

Read More »

Fibrosis patterns and arrhythmia risk in athletes with dilated left ventricles

19/05/2025

Read the full research here S Marwaha, E Androulakis, R Bhatia, S Khoury, L Anderson, N Bunce, G Finocchiaro, S Gati, S Prasad, M Papadakis, S Sharma

Read More »

Sex-based differences in masters athletes: insights from CPET and cardiac MRI analysis

19/05/2025

Read the full research here R Tomoaia, S Fyyaz, W Javed, A Merghani, S Papatheodorou, G Parry-Williams, R Bhatia, N Chatrath, H Maclachlan, J Lipscombe, M Bolat, J O’driscoll, M Papadakis, S Sharma, P P Swoboda

Read More »

Validation and refinement of a non-invasive algorithm for differentiating physiological LV enlargement and dilated cardiomyopathy in athletes with an enlarged and low resting LV

19/05/2025

Read the full research here S Marwaha, Z Fanton, P Bulleros, R Bhatia, H Maclachlan, G Finocchiaro, S Gati, S Prasad, M Papadakis, S Sharma 

Read More »

Features of T Wave Inversion and Diagnosis of Cardiomyopathy: Relevance for a Cardiac Screening Programme in Young Individuals

12/05/2025

Read the full research here Ali Alzarka, Daniel Abioye, Hamish Maclachlan, Raghav Bhatia, Michael Papadakis, Sanjay Sharma, Gherardo Finocchiaro To determine the clinical significance of T wave depth

Read More »

Epidemiology and aetiology of sudden cardiac death in athletes

07/05/2025

Read the full research here Joe Westaby, Mary Sheppard

Read More »

Professor Sanjay Sharma comments on CRY’s involvement and support for the British Society of Echocardiography’s (BSE) new guideline on echocardiographic assessment of young athletes

04/04/2025

“The aim of this comprehensive, up-to-date guideline, which includes numerous authors who are CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) physiologists, cardiac Research Fellows and senior

Read More »

Echocardiography in the cardiac assessment of young athletes: a 2025 guideline from the British Society of Echocardiography

14/03/2025

Read the full research here David Oxborough, Keith George, Robert Cooper, Raghav Bhatia, Tristan Ramcharan, Abbas Zaidi, Sabiha Gati, Keerthi Prakash, Dhrubo Rakhit, Shaun Robinson, Graham Stuart, Jan Forster, Melanie Ackrill, Daniel Augustine, Aneil Malhotra, Michael Papadakis, Silvia Castelletti, Victoria Pettemerides, Liam Ring, Antoinette

Read More »

Sudden Cardiac Death in Childhood: Peaks in Teenagers

18/02/2025

Read the full research here Joseph D Westaby, Mary N Sheppard. Circulation. Arrythmia and electrophysiology. 2025 Feb.

Read More »

Sudden cardiac death during anesthesia in non-cardiac surgery and its link to possible cardiac channelopathies: A case series

02/02/2025

Read the full research here Samadhi Dandeniya Arachchi, Joseph Westaby, Mary N Sheppard. JCA Advances. 2025 Feb. Abstract: Cardiac arrest with induction of anesthesia in those who

Read More »

Proposed minimum dataset for an athlete screening echocardiogram: the Standardised Transthoracic Echocardiogram Reporting in Athletes (STERA)

31/01/2025

Read the full research here Belinda Gray, Angus Davis, Jessica Orchard, Michael Papadakis, Aaron Baggish, Andre La Gerche

Read More »

Beyond the postmortem diagnosis of HCM: a genetic approach guided by clinical and morphological features in Noonan syndrome

25/01/2025

Read the full research here Elena Sola-García, Birethine Sathiyanathan, Alba María García-García, Mary N Sheppard, María Teresa Tomé-Esteban. Revista espanola de cardiologia (English ed). 2025 Jan 25.

Read More »

Risk stratification and exercise recommendations in cardiomyopathies and channelopathies: a practical guide for the multidisciplinary team

20/01/2025

Read the full research here Joyee Basu, Hamish MacLachlan, Raghav Bhatia, Helen Alexander, Robert Cooper, Nabeel Sheikh. Heart. Exercise offers a plethora of health benefits. However, certain genetic and acquired

Read More »

High intensity exercise programme in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a randomised trial

11/01/2025

Read the full research here J Basu, D Nikoletou, C Miles, H MacLachlan, G Parry-Williams, F Tilby-Jones, P Bulleros, Z Fanton, C Baker, S Purcell

Read More »

Too old for a life-threatening inherited cardiac condition? The importance of cascade genetic testing

07/01/2025

Read the full research here Luciana Andreea Hrib, Andra Valeria Hadarag, Mihnea Casian, Michael Papadakis

Read More »

29-year-old Asymptomatic Caucasian Male Attends Cardiac Screening

07/01/2025

Read the full research here Dr. Joshua Lloyd, Dr. Mihnea Casian. European Association of Preventive Cardiology. Abstract: Premature Ventricular Complexes (PVCs) are a common ECG

Read More »

Influence of age and sex on the diagnostic yield of inherited cardiac conditions in sudden arrhythmic death syndrome decedents

23/12/2024

Read the full research here Belinda Gray, Elijah R Behr, Efstathios Papatheodorou, Athanasios Bakalakos, Hariharan Raju, Yanushi D Wijeyeratne, Gherardo Finocchiaro, Aneil Malhotra, Nicola Whiffin, James S Ware, Maria Tome Esteban, Mary N Sheppard, Sanjay Sharma, Michael Papadakis.

Read More »

Sudden cardiac death during anesthesia in non-cardiac surgery and its link to possible cardiac channelopathies: A case series

19/12/2024

Read the full research here Samadhi Dandeniya Arachchi, Joseph Westaby, Mary N. Sheppard

Read More »

High intensity exercise programme in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a randomised trial

17/12/2024

Read the full research here Basu, J; Nikoletou, D; Miles, C; MacLachlan, H; Parry-Williams, G; Tilby-Jones, F; Bulleros, P; Fanton, Z; Baker, C; Purcell, S; Lech, C; Chapman, T; Sage, P; Wahid, S; Sheikh, N; Jayakumar, S; Malhotra, A; Keteepe-Arachi, T; Gray, B; Finocchiaro,

Read More »

Olympic distance duathlon and cardiac performance in highly-trained triathletes

12/12/2024

Read the full article here J A Donaldson, J D Wiles, M Papadakis, S Sharma, R Sharma, J M O’Driscoll

Read More »

EAPC Sports Cardiology Course 2024

25/11/2024

Almost 300 delegates attended an intense, informative and interactive event, held in Central London, sharing the very latest developments in sports cardiology as part of the EAPC Sports Cardiology Course.
“Such useful advice for general cardiologists like me as we do, at times, see very fit individuals and athletes with concerns – so it’s really helpful to know when and when not to worry.” (example of feedback from a delegate at the EAPC Sports Cardiology Course 2024)

Read More »

Are the cardiovascular benefits and potential risks of physical activity and exercise dependent on race, ethnicity or sex?

13/11/2024

Read the full research here Daniel T Tardo, Michael Papadakis. The Canadian journal of cardiology Abstract:Physical activity (PA) is established as a cornerstone of cardiovascular

Read More »

A case of Sudden Cardiac Death with myocardial infarction due to iatrogenic coronary dissection in a patient with coronary vasospasm

29/10/2024

Samadhi Dandeniya Arachchi and Mary N Sheppard  Read the full research here

Read More »

Cardiac screening with ECG in the young: significance of T wave inversion, T wave depth and T wave/QRS ratio

28/10/2024

A Alzarka, D Abioye, H Maclachlan, R Bhatia, S Sharma, M Papadakis, G Finocchiaro Read the full research here

Read More »

Insights into the aetiology and temporal trends in cardiac mortality in the young: a 21-year review of national and registry data in the united kingdom

28/10/2024

R Bhatia, T J Yeo, H Maclachlan, J Basu, N Chatrath, S Fyyaz, S Marwaha, J Westaby, E Behr, A Malhotra, G Finocchiaro, S Cox, M Sheppard, S Sharma, M Papadakis Read the full research here

Read More »

Non-specific myocardial fibrosis in young competitive athletes: clinical significance and risk prediction by a powerful machine learning-based model

14/10/2024

Read the full research here E. Androulakis, S. Marwaha, N. Dikaros, R. Bhatia, H. MacLachlan, S. Fyazz, N. Chatrath, A. Merghani, G. Finocchiaro, S. Sharma & M. Papadakis 

Read More »

Abstract We147: The Utility of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) Amongst Male and Female athletes to Differentiate Between Physiological Left Ventricular Enlargement and Mildly Depressed Resting Systolic Function and Athletic Individuals with Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

09/10/2024

Sarandeep Marwaha, Zephryn Fanton, Paulo Bulleros, Rachel Simmons, Raghav T Bhatia, Hamish MacLachlan, Maite Tome, Gherardo Finocchiaro, Aneil Malhotra, Sabiha Gati, Sanjay Prasad, Michael Papadakis and Sanjay Sharma Read the full research here

Read More »

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathies (ARVC): Diagnostic challenges from imaging to genetics

06/09/2024

Mihnea Casian, Michael Papadakis, Ruxandra Jurcut. Kardiologia Polska. Read the full research here Abstract: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a hereditary cardiomyopathy, predominantly affecting young males,

Read More »

Anabolic steroids in athletes: the interplay of hormones and inflammation leading to the heart’s vulnerability

06/09/2024

Sarandeep Marwaha, Michael Papadakis. European journal of preventive cardiology. Read the full research here

Read More »

Ethnicity and sudden cardiac death in athletes: insights from a large United Kingdom registry

06/09/2024

Gherardo Finocchiaro, Davide Radaelli, Stefano D’Errico, Raghav Bhatia, Michael Papadakis, Elijah R Behr, Joseph Westaby, Sanjay Sharma, Mary N Sheppard. European journal of preventive cardiology. Read the full research here Aims: The relationship between

Read More »

Anabolic steroids in athletes: The interplay of hormones and inflammation leading to the heart’s vulnerability

06/08/2024

Read the research here

Read More »

Are patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy given appropriate advice on exercise at a central London inherited cardiac conditions outpatient service?

19/06/2024

Read the full paper here

Read More »

Longitudinal insights into coronary plaque amongst master athletes

13/06/2024

Read the full research here S Fyyaz, A Merghani, S Al-Turaihi, N Chatrath, R Bhatia, H Maclachlan, G Finocchiaro, S Papatheodorou, G Parry-Williams, S David, J O’driscoll, M Papadakis, K Alfakih, S Sharma. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Read More »

The impact of drug use in athletes on resting LV systolic function and contractile reserve

13/06/2024

S Marwaha, P Bulleros, Z Fanton, H Maclachlan, R Bhatia, G Finocchiaro, S Prasad, S Gati, M Papadakis, S Sharma. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Read the full research here Background Consumption of recreational

Read More »

Predicting non-specific myocardial fibrosis in clinical setting in a large cohort of young and veteran athletes using a powerful machine learning model

13/06/2024

Read the full research here E Androulakis, N Dikaros, E Papatheodorou, A Merghani, S Fyyaz, G Perry-Williams, S Sharma, M Papadakis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Abstract: Background Non-specific myocardial fibrosis (NSMF)

Read More »

Feasibility of novel points-based health questionnaire utilised in a nationwide cardiac screening programme for young individuals

13/06/2024

Read the full research here H Maclachlan, R Ambrogetti, N Moulson, R Bhatia, S Fyyaz, N Chatrath, E Androulakis, C Miles, J Basu, G Finocchiaro, S Gati, A Malhotra, S Sharma, J Mckinney, M Papadakis. European Journal of Preventive

Read More »

A longitudinal study of quantitative late gadolinium enhancement analysis in young athletes versus non-athletic individuals with acute myocarditis

13/06/2024

Read the full research here H Butt, E Androulakis, R Bhatia, H Maclachlan, S Sharma, M Papadakis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Abstract: Acute myocarditis is an acute inflammatory process

Read More »

Type 1 Brugada Pattern May Be Provoked by Ajmaline in Some Healthy Subjects: Results From a Clinical Trial

31/05/2024

Read the full paper here

Read More »

Ethnicity and Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes: Insights from a Large United Kingdom Registry

18/04/2024

Read the full paper here Gherardo Finocchiaro, Davide Radaelli, Stefano D’Errico, Raghav Bhatia, Michael Papadakis, Elijah R Behr, Joseph Westaby, Sanjay Sharma, Mary N Sheppard.

Read More »

The role for ambulatory electro cardiogram monitoring in the diagnosis and prognostication of Brugada syndrome: a sub-study of the Rare Arrhythmia Syndrome Evaluation (RASE) Brugada study

08/04/2024

Read the full paper here Chiara Scrocco, Yael Ben-Haim, Bode Ensam, Robert Aldous, Maite Tome-Esteban, Mark Specterman, Michael Papadakis, Sanjay Sharma, and Elijah R. Behr

Read More »

Aortic valve endocarditis: comparing clinical outcomes in bicuspid versus tricuspid aortic valves

27/03/2024

Nikhil Chatrath, James Dargan, Nandita Kaza, U Bhalraam, Rumneek Hampal, Raghav Bhatia, Saad Fyyaz, Aodhan Breathnatch, Maite Tome Esteban, Michael Papadakis, Anna Marciniak. European journal

Read More »

Sudden cardiac death with morphologically normal heart: always do toxicology

18/03/2024

Davide Radaelli, Joseph Westaby, Gherardo Finocchiaro, Gianfranco Sinagra, Stefano D’Errico, Mary N Sheppard. Journal of clinical pathology. 2024 Mar 18. Read the full paper here

Read More »

Mitral annular disjunction: A ubiquitous finding with or without mitral valvar prolapse

12/03/2024

Read the full research here Robert H Anderson, Joseph Westaby, Mary N Sheppard, Andrew C Cook. Heart (British Cardiac Society).

Read More »

Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Electrocardiographic Complete Right Bundle Branch Block in Young Individuals

27/02/2024

Read the full paper here H MacLachlan, A Antonakaki, R Bhatia, S Fyazz, N Chatrath, E Androulakis, S Marawaha, J Basu, C Miles, H Dhutia,

Read More »

Coronary artery anomalies and the role of echocardiography in pre-participation screening of athletes: a practical guide

22/02/2024

Raghav T. Bhatia, Jan Forster, Melanie Ackrill, Nikhil Chatrath, Gherardo Finocchiaro, Saad Fyyaz, Hamish MacLachlan, Aneil Malhotra, Sarandeep Marwaha, Michael Papadakis, Liam Ring, Sanjay Sharma,

Read More »

Preventing young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, and supporting affected families.

Facebook-f Youtube Instagram

Contact Information

Head Office:
Unit 1140B, The Axis Centre,
Cleeve Road, Leatherhead,
Surrey KT22 7RD

Tel: 01737 363222
Privacy Policy
Safeguarding Policy
Accessibility Statement
Email: [email protected]

Registered Charity in England & Wales (1050845) & in Scotland (SC052581)

Register your interest for Cardiac Screening
Fundraising Regulator badge with validation link
QUALITY MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.