Despite a perception that trained athletes constitute the healthiest segment of our society, sudden deaths in athletes is occurring to a greater degree than before, usually caused by unsuspected cardiovascular disease. The cardiovascular abnormalities responsible for sudden death in competitive athletes differ by age; for athletes younger than 35 years, the majority of sudden deaths are due to congenital cardiac malformations with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congenital coronary anomalies among the leading causes; for athletes older than 35 years, the majority of deaths are caused by atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (systemic hypertension).

This purpose of this assessment is to identify clinically relevant and preexisting cardiovascular abnormalities and thereby reduce the risks associated with intense training and competition and includes the following services:

• Pre-Assessment Consultation (with medical director)
  The consultation reviews your health history, establishes fitness goals, and confirms specific issues of concern before testing begins.


• Physical Examination (with medical director)
  
  Includes the following:
  
  Precordial auscultation to identify heart murmurs and ventricular obstruction
  Assessment of the femoral artery pulses to exclude coarctation of the aorta
  Recognition of the physical stigmata of Marfan syndrome
  Brachial blood pressure measurement in the sitting position
  Medically supervised exercise stress test


• Fitness Testing (with exercise physiologist)
  
  Aerobic Capacity (VO2 Max)
  Blood Lactate (Threshold Analysis)
  Electrocardiogram (ECG)
  Spirometry (Lung Function)
  


• Post-Assessment Consultation (with medical director)
  The consultation presents the results of the assessment, including identifying causes of any chest pain and rhythm disturbances during exercise, establishing the exercise capacity of the heart, defining appropriate training intensity levels, and presents needed referrals for additional further diagnostic investigation required to permit timely therapeutic interventions.