Pedi CardioRef
Reference: ACC/AHA Sports Participation Recommendations (Circulation 2015) Task Force 9: Arrhythmias and Conduction Defects

participate in organized sports?

Should my patient with Acquired Complete AV Block participate in organized sports?

Acquired Complete AV Block


Need to know:

No structrual heart disease

"Athletes with acquired complete heart block should have a permanent pacemaker placed regardless of symptoms, type of structural heart disease, and exercise capacity unless the heart block is attributable to completely reversible causes and resolves completely."

Should have permanent pacemaker

(Class I Recommendation; Level of Evidence C)

Structrual heart disease

"Athletes with structural heart disease and acquired complete heart block should be restricted from, or allowed to participate in, athletic activities based on the recommendations for the type of structural heart disease."

Based on structural heart disease

(Class I Recommendation; Level of Evidence C)

Patient with permanent pacemaker

"Before athletes with a permanent pacemaker are allowed to engage in athletic activities, an exercise test should be conducted to ensure that the exercise capacity of the athlete is similar to that required by the relevant sport."

Should get exercise test

(Class I Recommendation; Level of Evidence C)

Reference: Eligibility and Disqualification Recommendations for Competitive Athletes With Cardiovascular Abnormalities: Task Force 9: Arrhythmias and Conduction Defects. A Scientific Statement From the AHA and ACC. Circulation 2015

Disclaimer: This website is derived from published guidelines, but does not constitute medical advice nor does it replace clinical judgement. Only the text in quotation marks are direct quotations from the original guidelines. Text not in quotations as well as the method of information display are all that of the website creator and are not part of the original published guidelines. Please consult a physician to discuss any patient-specific matters.

Key: AV = atrioventricular