Sudden Death: Young Athletes Dying In Sports part II

A couple of days ago, I wrote about the tragic incidences that have been occurring in the world of sport as it relates to youth athletics. The past couple of years, numerous athletes have been cleared by the physician to participate in their sport later to collapse and die while participating. This post is a follow up and is taken from News 14 about the latest case, a 15 year old basketball player that died during the team's first game. Our heart goes out to his family, friends, teammates and coaches, and all that knew him.

WINSTON-SALEM – The state medical examiner has determined that the high school basketball player who died after collapsing during his team's first game died from an uncommon heart condition.

The autopsy showed 15-year-old Khalid Prince, died Saturday from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that weakens the heart.

"It is the result of viruses that are directed at the heart," Dr. Vinay Thohan, Wake Forest University associate professor of cardiology, said. "In the process of the body healing, or killing off the viruses, it starts to attack the heart also, and when it attacks the heart, it makes the heart weak."

Thohan, who did not treat Prince, said the condition is seen in young athletes but is not common. About 5 to 9 percent of young athletes who die suddenly suffer from myocarditis, he said.

And it can develop at any time."The challenge is this can occur after a routine physical," Thohan said. "So an individual may have had a perfectly normal, routine physical, develop myocarditis two months into their season and have an unusual course."

And since it can develop even after a physical, he said people should know the symptoms.

"If two weeks ago you were able to run five miles without getting short of breath and now you can't run a mile without feeling short of breath or having palpatations or feeling like you're going to pass out, that is a clear change in the way you are feeling," he said. "And that should be evaluated by a physician."

Students and staff at Parkland High School are mourning the loss of the freshman starting point guard, who collapsed after a basketball game Dec. 2. He passed away at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Parkland Principal Tim Lee said Monday that Prince was cleared to play both basketball and football for the school.

So what causes myocarditis and what are the symptoms?

Myocarditis is an uncommon disorder. In children it is usually caused by viral infections that reach the heart, such as the influenza (flu) virus, Coxsackie virus, and adenovirus. However, it may also occur during or after other viral or bacterial infections such as polio, rubella, Lyme disease, and others.

When you have an infection, your body's immune system produces special cells that release certain chemicals to fight off disease. If the infection affects your heart, the disease-fighting cells enter the heart. However, the chemicals they produce can damage the heart muscle, causing it to become thick and swollen. This leads to symptoms of heart failure. In addition, the virus or bacteria damage the heart muscle.Symptoms may be mild at first and difficult to detect.

Possible symptoms include palpitations (heart racing or "skipping" heart beats), low energy levels, and low exercise tolerance. Symptoms of congestive heart failure also include rapid breathing, clammy sweating, poor appetite, poor weight gain in young children, and swelling around the eyes, hand, and feet (more common in older children and young adults).

Symptoms in children over age 2 may also include:

* Belly area pain and nausea
* Chest pain
* Cough
* Fatigue
* Swelling (edema) in the legs, feet, and face


How can one be treated with myocarditis?

There is no cure for myocarditis, although the heart muscle inflammation usually goes away on its own in time.

The goal of treatment is to support heart function and treat the underlying cause of the myocarditis. Most children with this condition are admitted to a hospital. Activity can strain the heart and therefore is often limited.

Treatment may include:

* Antibiotics to fight infection
* Anti-inflammatory medicines called steroids to control inflammation
* Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a medicine made of the substances that your body produces to fight infection, to control the inflammatory process
* Medicines called diuretics to remove excess water from the body
* Medicines to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms


Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
Taken from news14.com and www.drugs.com/enc/myocarditis-pediatric and www.med.umich.edu/mott/chc/patient_acq_myo.html