29-year-old Asymptomatic Caucasian Male Attends Cardiac Screening

David Niederseer, Sports Cardiology Quiz Section Co-Editor

07 Jan 2025

Dr. Joshua Lloyd

Dr. Mihnea Casian

Topic(s):

Rehabilitation and Sports Cardiology

Background

Premature Ventricular Complexes (PVCs) are a common ECG finding in athletes, present in somewhere between 1-10% of screening ECGs.(1–4) PVCs can occur in the absence of identifiable cardiovascular disease. In this case, they are called “idiopathic” and generally considered benign.(4,5) However, PVCs may also represent an underlying cardiac disorder that places the athlete at increased risk of sudden cardiac death. (2,6–8) In rare instances, even idiopathic PVCs can place an athlete at risk of adverse cardiac outcomes.(9,10) This case provides an example of how to evaluate an athlete with PVCs, to distinguish physiological PVCs from pathological. It also considers the management of a patient with idiopathic ventricular ectopy.

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Note: The views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be accepted by others. While every attempt is made to keep the information up to date, there is always going to be a lag in updating information. The reader is encouraged to read this in conjunction with appropriate ESC Guidelines. The material on this page is for educational purposes and is not for use as a definitive management strategy in the care of patients. Quiz material on the site are only examples and do not guarantee outcomes from formal examinations.

References

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29-year-old Asymptomatic Caucasian Male Attends Cardiac Screening

David Niederseer, Sports Cardiology Quiz Section Co-Editor

Background

Test your knowledge

References