Cardiac Screening before Participation in Sports

Abstract

The director of a high school athletic program is considering implementation of a requirement that all student athletes undergo cardiac screening by a physician before participating in any school-sponsored athletic team. Several teachers at the high school have been advocating for a mandatory screening program after seeing a television news report that featured a student from a nearby high school who died from a sudden cardiac arrest while playing basketball. However, coaches have expressed concern to the athletic director that instituting such a requirement would discourage students from playing organized sports and could be a financial burden for some families.