When an athlete dies suddenly on the court or playing field, often an undiagnosed heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the cause. Now new guidelines aim to shine a light on the diagnosis and treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disorder that affects an estimated 600,000 Americans. "It is an important cause of sudden cardiac death during competitive sport, and from that standpoint perhaps is brought to the headlines more frequently," says Bernard J. Gersh, MD, PhD, who co-chaired the committee that wrote the new guidelines.
WebMD, Brenda Goodman, 11/9/11
Tags: Cardiology, Sports Medicine