Pre-Participation Screening for Youth Athletes

This podcast episode discusses the importance of pre-participation screening for young competitive athletes. The episode focuses on a study conducted in Italy, where a pre-participation screening examination was created for youth athletes aged 7 to 18. The screening included a history assessment, clinical examination, resting 12-lead ECG, and cardiac stress testing. Out of the 22,000 athletes involved in the study, 1.8% were diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases, with a greater diagnostic yield in the older age group. Interestingly, only 30% of those with a positive diagnosis had a positive family history or abnormal physical exam. The study demonstrated the value of screening in identifying potential cardiac conditions in youth athletes and promoting their safety in sports participation.