CARDIOVASCULAR EVALUATION OF THE CHILD IN SPORTS MEDICINE

Although rare, sports related sudden cardiac deaths in children and ad olescents justify the search for risk factors in any child or adolesce nt who wishes to practice sports. Each time that history and careful c linical cardiovascular examination point to a possible cardiovascular abnormality, an electrocardiogram and an echocardiography must be perf ormed. Exercise testing is useful to appreciate the cardiovascular tol erance, either in normal subjects or in subjects with a cardiovascular abnormality; its interpretation requires good knowledge and understan ding of hemodynamic responses to exercise. Indications, risks and proc edures of exercise resting are discussed wish reference to exercise ph ysiology.