Sudden cardiac arrest in a young competitive athlete

Abstract

A 27-year-old competitive athlete with a history of recent palpitations and near syncope experienced a sudden cardiac arrest while in his electrophysiologist’s office. An automatic external defibrillator revealed ventricular fibrillation and he was successfully defibrillated. Cardiac imaging and coronary angiography were unremarkable, however subsequent exercise treadmill testing showed short runs of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia of right ventricular outflow tract morphology and a run of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. The case discusses management considerations in young athletes with ventricular fibrillation.