The Pre-Athletic & Pre-School cardiological checkup is of vital importance for the prevention of tragic incidents of sudden death. Young, healthy individuals may suffer from cardiovascular diseases that have not been diagnosed which require treatment and monitoring for participation in sports activities or possibly prohibit participation altogether.
A Pre-Athletic & Pre-School checkup includes the following:
- Medical History: Includes detailed questions about both the patient’s individual health history and the family history of cardiovascular diseases.
- Clinical Examination: Involves listening with a stethoscope, checking arteries, pulses, respiratory rate, and any signs of abnormalities in the heart, such as murmurs.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): The examination with an electrocardiogram helps diagnose arrhythmias, myocardial diseases, congenital cardiovascular diseases, and rare syndromes, all of which may be prohibitive for sports activities.
- Cardiac Triplex: Although the cardiac triplex is a more specialized cardiological examination, it has started to be included in the program of a comprehensive Pre-Athletic & Pre-School Checkup as it provides critical information about the anatomy and function of the heart.
While the Pre-Athletic & Pre-School Checkup is often perceived as a routine examination, it is, in reality, a crucial examination with the potential to save the lives of young people with underlying cardiovascular problems.
