Sudden Cardiac Death in Sports: Why Its Prevalence is So Different by Gender?

Abstract

Sports competition can be a trigger to fatal arrhythmias in predisposed individuals, leading to sudden cardiac death. Athletes have 2.8 fold more risk of sudden cardiac death than non-athletes. However, female athletes seem to have some cardiac protection, dying suddenly much less than men during sports. Although the mechanisms for this protection have not been well established until now, hormonal, genetic and molecular factors may play a role in it. The so-called “fair sex” might harbour the key for sudden cardiac death prevention.