Cardiac Injuries (Commotio Cordis, Myocardial Contusion)

Sudden death in athletes who otherwise appear healthy has often been attributed to an underlying structural or electrical defect in the individual's heart. This is not unjustified, as many sudden deaths in apparently healthy athletes have eventually been linked to an undiagnosed cardiac condition. The medical community and even the media are growing in awareness of several of these cardiac conditions, most notably hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and long QT syndrome. Not surprisingly, vigilant screening aimed at detecting these potentially lethal conditions is part of ...