Quote from: J70 on September 08, 2007, 03:41:48 PM
Awful news again, but I hope people don't overreact and start pulling their kids out of sports. The average person is at a far, far greater risk of dying of heart problems through lack of exercise than through these very rare heart conditions.
It beggars belief the tragic, and almost identical circumstances surrounding these two young lads deaths.
I agree with the statement above, well the first part anyway. I would suggest however, that you don't type "Facts" unless you are certain about them.
It is true that exercise is good for the heart etc. but it also true that adolescents and young adults involved in competitive sport had a two and a half times higher risk of sudden death.
Conditions such as the one young Patrick Breen died of (and Cormac) are congenital and effect 1 in 500 people. The "Average" person as you call them, will not be pushing their heart to the same extremes, (i.e. intense exercise).
Your physical condition can in fact be a disguising factor in this type of circumstance. In many cases people do not have symptons, and the fitter you are the more likely you are to disguise
a problem. The average person granted, is more likely to have heart problems, (as they get OLDER) through their poor lifestyle habits, but unfortunately this SADS (sudden Adult Death Syndrome) is more likely to cause sudden death while the heart is being pushed to the limit during exercise. No other heart condition comes close as regards risk of sudden death in a young person.