Commotio cordis: sudden cardiac death in athletes

Abstract

Commotio cordis due to blunt trauma to the precordium is a rare cause of death in young athletes, occurring less frequently than all of the other athletics-related deaths. Several measures, such as the use of safety baseballs and the use of chest protectors, can help protect young athletes from commotio cordis. In general, sudden cardiac death in athletes is receiving increasing attention from the public as a result of recent deaths of high-profile athletes. Sudden cardiac death, however, is rare, with an estimated 1 out of 200,000 high school athletes at risk each year. However, the personal, physiological, and cardiovascular benefits of athletics far outweigh the risks. Therefore, the message to parents is to allow their children to participate in athletics because the benefits far outweigh the risks.