Should the U.S. Initiate Screening for Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young?

An expert committee developed a research agenda to address the evidence gaps that fuel the debate.

In a report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a group of experts outline a research agenda to help resolve the debate about whether a screening program to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people (variably defined as age <25 to <40 years) should be initiated in the U.S.

Background:

Estimates of the incidence of SCD in young people range from 0.6 to 6.2 per 100,000 persons.
About 10% to 15% of deaths attributable to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are associated with functional cardiac ion channelopathy gene variants.
The two most common diagnoses associated with SCD are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (prevalence, 1 per 500 persons) and long-QT syndromes (LQTS; prevalence, 1 per 2500).
Electrocardiograms (ECGs) can be…

Reviewing Author

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)