Sports Cardiology

Book excerpt: Providing a critical update and review of salient topics needed for the proper cardiac evaluation and care of athletes, this text is designed to be the most up-to-date and practical manual for all health care providers who evaluate and treat athletes, including sports cardiologists, general cardiologists, sports medicine specialists, team doctors and athletic trainers. The book is divided into three key sections. The first section ​discusses essential topics pertaining to the pre-participation cardiac screening of athletes, providing a framework for how best to perform pre-participation cardiac evaluations and optimize the interpret​at​ion of cardiac screening test results, and ​a guide to ​assist the streamlining of appropriate downstream testing ​when required. The second section reviews the management and care of athletes with specific, existing cardiovascular disorders, providing the reader with fundamental principles to help recognize and advise levels of sport participation to athletes with these disorders. The final section deals with acute sideline management of the symptomatic athlete and will again provide practical algorithms for cardiologists and non-cardiologists alike who are responsible for athlete health and safety in the sports arenas and training facilities. Written and edited by highly regarded experts in the field of sports cardiology, including several cardiologists who are collegiate and professional team physicians and who work with professional sports organizations on developing policies for cardiac screening and monitoring, Sports Cardiology is an excellent practical resource for all clinicians working in the field.