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Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices in Athletes

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Sports Cardiology

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Abstract

With advancement in the technology of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), including the development of transvenous leads and compact pulse generators, sports participation is now possible for athletes and patients with these devices. The safety of competitive sports for patients with CIEDs has been questioned and studied over many years. Historically, expert-consensus guideline recommendations have discouraged patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) from engaging in competitive sports and advised sport participation restricted to low-intensity class IA sports. In the presence of these guidelines, however, some athletes have continued participation in sports. Growing data, including an ICD Sports Safety Registry of athletes, have demonstrated a low incidence of adverse sequelae associated with competitive sports participation in patients with ICDs. The most recent 2015 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines regarding sports participation for athletes with cardiovascular disease incorporated these data and left open the possibility for athletes to engage in more intensive sports through a shared decision making construct whereby the athlete assumes a portion of the potential risk for adverse events. Athletes with ICDs, and physicians, must weigh the benefits of sport participation with risks that are related to the underlying heart condition and inherent risks associated with the implanted device. This chapter will review the current recommendations for athletic participation in athletes with CIEDs, present data demonstrating the safety of CIEDs while highlighting potential adverse outcomes associated with competitive sports participation, and review quality of life factors for athletes with CIEDs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Cardiology, St. Luke’s Health System, Boise, ID, USA

    Benjamin H. Hammond & Elizabeth V. Saarel

Authors
  1. Benjamin H. Hammond
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  2. Elizabeth V. Saarel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth V. Saarel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    David J. Engel

  2. Sports Cardiology Center, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, Charlotte, NC, USA

    Dermot M. Phelan

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Hammond, B.H., Saarel, E.V. (2021). Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices in Athletes. In: Engel, D.J., Phelan, D.M. (eds) Sports Cardiology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69384-8_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69384-8_13

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-69383-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-69384-8

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