Frontiers in the Risk Stratification and Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Death in Athletes

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) remain the leading causes of exercise-related mortality in athletes. Research in recent years has produced substantial advances in the understanding of athlete-specific risk, the etiologic spectrum of SCA/SCD, and the tools available for screening and risk stratification. Methods: We performed a narrative review of the literature identified through PubMed/MEDLINE searches of related terms, supplemented by targeted searches and reference checking. Summary of the Review: In this narrative review, we synthesize updated evidence on the epidemiology, etiologies, screening, and emerging technologies relevant to SCA/SCD in athletes. Conclusions: Contemporary evaluation of SCA/SCD risk in athletes relies on multimodal, individualized assessment with longitudinal surveillance and shared decision-making. Emerging computational tools may further refine risk prediction, but current evidence remains limited.