By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    July 31, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Effective Healthcare Requires a Social Approach
    June 15, 2015
    CCBHCs
    2016 Excellence in Behavioral Health Program Design
    February 23, 2016
    conducting Clinical Trial
    5 Tips for Conducting a Clinical Trial
    April 21, 2024
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Going for the Gold: Long QT Syndrome and Olympic Glory
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > News > Going for the Gold: Long QT Syndrome and Olympic Glory
News

Going for the Gold: Long QT Syndrome and Olympic Glory

Kevin Campbell
Kevin Campbell
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

First Posted on Dr. Kevin Campbell MD  on August 1, 2012

First Posted on Dr. Kevin Campbell MD  on August 1, 2012

In recent days, many of us have been glued to our televisions watching the Olympic games. Many of these athletes have trained their entire lives for one competition, one event, one lap in the pool. One competitor in particular has defied the odds and has stirred debate about how electrophysiologists deal with young athletes at risk for sudden cardiac death. Swimmer Dana Vollmer won the Gold medal in the 100 meter butterfly in London. An article published this week in the New York Timeshighlighted her Olympic journey. Ms Vollmer has LQTS and as a 15 year old high school athlete was told that the only way she could continue to compete was to have an ICD implanted. She was diagnosed after experiencing dizzy spells while in the pool during training sessions. After a thorough evaluation by a local cardiologist she was found to have LQTS. Ms Vollmer chose not to have an ICD implanted. However, her mother agreed to sit in at each and every workout and competition with an external automated defibrillator (AED) sitting at her feet.LQTS accounts for nearly 2000 deaths annually and the risk is three times higher in competitive athletes. There are guidelines and criteria for management that have been developed in both Europe and the US (known as 36th Bethesda conference criteria and the European Society of Cardiology guidelines). Both sets of guidelines rely on expert opinion–there are very little data available on sports participation in LQTS patients to guide our decision making.

A study done at Mayo Clinic recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reviewed records of patients with LQTS (age 6-40 years) from 2000 to 2010. Of the 353 patients, 63% were not involved in sports and 88% chose to stop competitive sports once initially diagnosed. 130 patients remained in competitive sports and 20 of these patients had ICDs implanted. Only one of the patients who continued to compete in sports had an event–an aborted cardiac arrest while warming up for a game–twice. He received two life saving shocks for ventricular fibrillation. Both episodes occurred in the setting of medical non compliance–he failed to take his beta blocker prior to competition. In this particular retrospective review of LQTS athletes, only one patient had an event. This certainly brings up much controversy in how we treat these young competitive athlete patients.

More Read

What Low Income Patient’s Want From Their Experience With Providers!
Face Mask Suppliers Share Tips on Exercising with One
FDA Approves “NoTouch” BreastScan Device
Steps Restaurants Should Take to Reduce Injury Risks
FDA Warning Letter Highlights Disconnect Between Regulator and Biotech Industry

One of my colleagues, Dr Wes Fisher has blogged about this controversy in the past. (Please see his blog here). Dr Wes eloquently gives us a glimpse into the negative repercussions of EKG screening in athletes. However, we must remember that screening athletes is a tricky business. On the one hand we must make sure that young people are safe when competing in sports. On the other hand, we must be careful not to ruin a potential Gold medal career with speculation.

Ms Vollmer is an inspiration to all of us–both doctor and patient. She was given a potential life-threatening diagnosis at the age of 15. Still a teenager, she had to make an adult level decision that would affect the rest of her life. She has very supportive parents who helped her make the choice and ensured that she would be safe while competing and training. A two-time Olympic champion, Ms Vollmer was able to overcome great challenges and continued to believe in herself and in her abilities. Even though she had a potential life threatening heart condition, she continued to live and enjoy life to its fullest.

There remains much controversy on how best to screen athletes and how best to treat disorders such as LQTS. Not every competitive athlete patient with LQTS needs an ICD. Clearly, from the Mayo review, not every athlete with LQTS has an event. As physicians treating heart rhythm disorders, we must carefully review each case and partner with our patients to make good decisions. Together we can follow Dana Vollmer’s example and continue to “Go for the Gold”.

(Photo: Doug Mills, The New York Times)

TAGGED:London 2012 Olympics
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025

You Might also Like

nicotine danger
News

Limit Nicotine Intake: Know the Dangers of This Harmful Substance

April 4, 2023
Carestream_Vue_RIS
News

Diagnostic Reading: “Must Read” Articles on HIT and Radiology

May 17, 2016

What’s a Guy Like Me Doing at the Consumer Electronics Show, Anyway?

January 15, 2013

Survey Reveals Patient Opinions on HealthCare Websites

April 30, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?