Another Teen Athlete: Enlarged Heart

[Superbob]

Oh no, it's happened again! So sorry for everyone involved, esp the family.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17553284

This time, unlike the teen basketball player last week, the condition was apparently known and he had had surgery for the congenital defect at age 8.

One question is that of playing violent contact sports with this kind of heart history.

Another is what to do about detection and prevention.

Another is whether insurance will help cover complete heart workups for young people assumed to be perfectly healthy but who are perhaps ticking time bombs.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

We have a program in place at a number of local high schools. Traveling nurses from a local caridoilogy practice run tests on all althletes. This in hope to catch a potential issue. In the case of the boy above, can't believe thay let him play with such a serious condition!

 

[swim mom]

We have a pediatric cardiologist who does $10 ekg for student athletes. When my girls went he listened to their hearts very carefully also for any sign of a murmur.

 

[Hockey Heart]

What does it mean when you have an "enlarged heart" and how does that lead to cardiac arrest?

 

[Superbob]

What does it mean when you have an "enlarged heart" and how does that lead to cardiac arrest?

I would hesitate to try to explain it medically myself (and I'm on my way out the door), but here is a comprehensive discussion by the Mayo Clinic, for starters:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/enlarged-heart/ds01129

 

[Greg a]

What does it mean when you have an "enlarged heart" and how does that lead to cardiac arrest?

Here is another thread on the topic

http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?37693-enlarged-heart-cardiomyapathy

 

[nngbwh]

That is so sad. Here is a article on How can teen athlete deaths be prevented?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/11/teen.heart.deaths/index.html

 

[anne casey]

This is so sad. Hits home especially here, since our son who is 15 was just diagnosed with BAV and arotic stenosis. (no other problem.) He's had 2 echo's in the last few months with the same diagnosis both times. The pediatric cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, MN said he could still play sports this year. He wants to see him next Jan. again. Our son is getting ready for baseball (favorite). I'm not too worried, since this sport isn't as demanding as some. But the dr. said he has a "gradient of 30" and that someday they will tell him no more sports, but for now he can. Football is his other sport....and I'm REALLY hesitant on that....knowing how grueling the practices are in late summer.

I'd like to know if any one else has a teenage athelete that has this BAV with stenosis diagnosis?
thanks, Anne

 

[nate_c]

I'd like to know if any one else has a teenage athelete that has this BAV with stenosis diagnosis?
thanks, Anne

I don't have a teen, but I played sports all through high school with aortic regurgitation due to a congenital valve defect and rheumatic fever. I never had any issues, but I don't mean to imply that that means anything for anyone else. I was active in sports from a very young age, and after my diagnosis, I just continued. My doctors never tried to stop me. They just kept monitoring, and I knew eventually I'd need a valve repair. There are obvious risks, but I never thought about them as a kid, and I was always in pretty good shape, so I rarely pushed myself way beyond my training. For me, that was the key: never going too far beyond my training and staying healthy year round. My parents were supportive, even though my mom worried quite a bit. For me, the other key was 6-month echo tests to make sure my heart wasn't enlarging or getting worse. Best of luck to you. It's a difficult thing to deal with at a young age, when you shouldn't have to worry about those kinds of things.