Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies to Reduce Sudden Death in Young Athletes

Some experts believe that routine screening of all athletes with electrocardiogram (ECG) before athletic participation will avert many cases of sudden cardiac death (SCD), but others caution that evidence for the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of this approach is lacking. National Institute of Health investigators used mathematical modeling to compare the following three strategies to reduce SCD in young athletes:

1) History and physical exam, with cardiology referral and ECG for athletes with suspicious findings (current practice)

2) History and physical exam, with ECG for athletes with negative history and physical, and direct cardiology referral for athletes with positive history, physical, or ECG

3) History, physical, and ECG for all a…