Arritmias ventriculares y su relación con la muerte súbita cardíaca en deportistas

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death is the unexpected death of a structurally normal heart. Ventricular arrhythmias are difficult to treat due to the high risk of sudden cardiac death, they are considered a nightmare for sports doctors and a great battle for cardiologists. Sudden cardiac death in athletes occurs in 1/million to 1/500,000, has a frequency of 2 of every 100,000 in those under 35 years of age and 1 of every 18,000 over 35 years of age, its main cause is atrial fibrillation. This research will focus on the pathophysiology, possible causes, clinical manifestations, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of ventricular arrhythmias and their relationship with sudden death, in addition, it will try to demonstrate which is the main diagnostic method and the most used treatment. There are different types of risk factors such as stress or intense exercise that can trigger ventricular arrhythmias in the presence of underlying heart disease, which can be diagnosed through different studies such as electrocardiogram, echocardiography or magnetic resonance imaging. The present work will allow to demonstrate the possible triggering causes of a ventricular arrhythmia that is related to sudden death in athletes, in addition to the different diagnostic methods. The choice of pharmacological treatment is a challenge due to low tolerance and proarrhythmic effects, which is why long-lasting treatments such as catheter ablation or the use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator are needed that allow the athlete to continue practicing sports, in addition to preventive measures.