The Athlete and Heart Disease Diagnosis, Evaluation & Management

The sudden death of a seemingly healthy individual, especially an athletic one, is difficult to comprehend. The Athlete and Heart Disease is the first comprehensive reference to address the problem of cardiovascular disease in athletes, and to assist you in identifying and managing athletic patients who are at risk for sudden cardiac death. Dr. Richard Williams has assembled an expert group of contributors to discuss the management of specific diseases that cause sudden cardiac death--hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular genetic disorders, the Marfan syndrome, and congenital heart disease. You'll find in-depth information on the genetic problems underlying these syndromes and the molecular biology of cardiac abnormalities in athletes. Also included are chapters on athletics in older adults with cardiovascular disease and on the impact of substance abuse on the heart. Chapters describe the latest diagnostic tools for detecting cardiovascular disease, including genetic techniques, echocardiography, electrocardiography, and head-upright tilt testing. Full consideration is given to the advisability of widespread preparticipation screening, as well as to ethical, economic, and medicolegal concerns. The book also includes a discussion of race and gender considerations in sudden death in the athlete.