Incorrect interpretation of ECG leading to death is every clinician’s nightmare. Rare but frightening. But what is ‘correct’ interpretation in some settings? What do certain variations in ECG tracings mean? Sinister or sublime?

To address the controversies in ECG interpretation in athletes, leaders in the field held an ECG Summit in Seattle. The goal –  to improve the cardiac care of athletes and better identify those at risk of sudden cardiac death.

BJSM congratulates the multidisciplinary collaboration – such shared initiatives are all too rare in medicine. Representatives from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) partnered with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Sports Cardiology Section, the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES), other leading U.S. cardiologists, and the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Center (F-MARC). The explicit goal –  “to define ECG interpretation standards in athletes and develop a comprehensive online training module for physicians around the world to gain expertise in ECG interpretation and the proper evaluation of ECG abnormalities suggestive of a pathologic cardiovascular disorder.”

The clinical community waits with bated breath for the conclusions so they can be implemented to help patients. BJSM is pleased to facilitate as an information channel – in print, digital media, video and podcasts.

Read more on the ECG summit here.

Among the many practical, effective, and groundbreaking ideas discussed at the Summit, one with global impact will the online training module. Collaborators will translate the ECG interpretation standards consensus recommendations into a comprehensive online training module hosted by British Medical Journal (BMJ) Learning. BMJ Learning is an international leader in e-learning so adds great expertise in translating the Summit lessons to the clinicians who will implement the new practice.

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine reports : “the E-learning resource will be freely accessible to any physician world-wide and help create a larger physician infrastructure that is skilled and capable of accurate ECG interpretation in athletes. Improved ECG interpretation may identify athletes with at-risk disorders and help prevent sudden death in sport. “

Watch this space for updates on the release of this material – it is tentatively scheduled for late 2012.

For more on this topic…

Related Publications:

• Drezner, J, Harmon, K, and Borjesson, M. 2011. Incidence of sudden cardiac death in athletes: where did the science go? BJSM, 45: 947-948.

• J A Drezner JA, Rogers KJ, and Horneff JG. 2010. Automated external defibrillator use at NCAA Division II and III universities. BJSM, Published online first: 16 November 2010.

• September 2009 BJSM – deals specifically with cardiac issues and the athlete

Podcast:

• Preventing sudden cardiac death with Jon Drezner

Blogs:

• Authoritative resource for sudden cardiac death – finally! Guest blog by Jon Drezner
• New Guidelines to Improve ECG/EKG Interpretation in Athletes – Guest Blog by Dr Babette Pluim
• Sports Cardiology by Dr Jon Drezner
• Debating Strategies to Reduce Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes: Dr. Drezner Responds to Sports Cardiology Editorial