Best Practice Case Studies-Study Questions (PRE-SYNCOPE AND CHEST PAIN IN A YOUNG FEMALE VARSITY ATHL)

Pdf Summary

The document presents a case study involving sudden cardiac events in young athletes, discussing potential causes and evaluation methods.

<strong>Study Question #1</strong>: A 17-year-old male collapses during a basketball game due to sudden cardiac arrest. The identified risk factor leading to this event is an anomaly of his right coronary artery. Sudden cardiac death in young athletes often stems from structural heart diseases, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and coronary artery anomalies being the most common causes.

<strong>Study Question #2</strong>: A 15-year-old soccer player collapses during a game, exhibiting exertional syncope. Despite normal prior examinations (ECG, echocardiogram, exercise test), the appropriate next step for diagnosis is a Cardiac MRI. This non-invasive test can help identify coronary anomalies, which commonly lead to exertional syncope and sudden cardiac events in athletes. Other options like EEG, glucose tolerance test, psychiatric evaluation, or myocardial biopsy are less suitable at this stage.

<strong>Study Question #3</strong>: Among the statements regarding congenital coronary artery anomalies, the correct one is that blood flow can be compromised during exertion, leading to ischemia and potentially fatal arrhythmia. These anomalies are the second most common cause of sudden cardiac death in athletes, and many affected individuals might remain asymptomatic, underscoring the importance of accurate diagnostic tools such as echocardiography, coronary angiography, and coronary CT.

The document underscores the need for a high index of suspicion and thorough examination using advanced imaging techniques for diagnosing coronary anomalies, as routine tests may not reveal these potentially life-threatening conditions.

Meta Tag

Edition 3rd Edition

Related Case 3rd Edition, CASE 08

Topic Cardiac

Keywords

sudden cardiac events

young athletes

coronary artery anomalies

hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

exertional syncope

cardiac MRI

ischemia

fatal arrhythmia

diagnostic tools

advanced imaging

3rd Edition

3rd Edition, CASE 08

Cardiac