Pedi CardioRef
Reference: ACC/AHA Sports Participation Recommendations (Circulation 2015) Task Force 10: The Cardiac Channelopathies

participate in organized sports?

Should my patient with Idiopathic Ventricular Tachycardia participate in organized sports?

Idiopathic Ventricular Tachycardia

General Recommendations:

All patients with suspected channelopathy

"For athletes with a suspected/diagnosed cardiac channelopathy, a comprehensive evaluation by a heart rhythm specialist or genetic cardiologist with sufficient experience and expertise with these disorders is recommended."

Get evaluated by heart rhythm specialist or genetic cardiologistj

(Class I Recommendation; Level of Evidence C)

Sympatomatic with suspected/diagnosed channelopathy

"It is recommended that symptomatic athletes with any suspected or diagnosed cardiac channelopathy be restricted from all competitive sports until a comprehensive evaluation has been completed, the athlete and his or her family are well informed, a treatment program has been implemented, and the athlete has been asymptomatic on therapy for 3 months."

No sports until comprehensive evaluation completed

(Class I Recommendation; Level of Evidence C)

Idiopathic Ventricular Tachycardia Recommendations:

Need to know:

⇓

Asymptomatic, Genotype + / Phenotype -

"It is reasonable for an asymptomatic athlete with genotype-positive/phenotype-negative (ie, concealed channelopathy) LQTS, CPVT, BrS, early repolarization syndrome, idiopathic ventricular fibrillation, or short-QT syndrome to participate in all competitive sports with appropriate precautionary measures, including

  1. avoidance of QT-prolonging drugs for athletes with LQTS (http://www.crediblemeds.org),
  2. avoidance of drugs that exacerbate the BrS in affected athletes (http://www.brugadadrugs.org),
  3. electrolyte/hydration replenishment and avoidance of dehydration for all,
  4. avoidance or treatment of hyperthermia from febrile illnesses or training-related heat exhaustion or heat stroke for athletes with either LQTS or BrS,
  5. acquisition of a personal automatic external defibrillator as part of the athlete’s personal sports safety gear, and
  6. establishment of an emergency action plan with the appropriate school or team officials."

All sports = reasonable if the above precautionary measures are undertaken

(Class IIa Recommendation; Level of Evidence C)

Reference: Eligibility and Disqualification Recommendations for Competitive Athletes With Cardiovascular Abnormalities: Task Force 10: The Cardiac Channelopathies. 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: LQTS = long QT syndrome, SQTS = short QT syndrome, CPVT = Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, BrS = Brugada syndrome