Cardiovascular Emergency Preparedness in Recreation Facilities at Major US Universities: College Fitness Center Emergency Readiness

Abstract

Recent American Heart Association/American College of Sports Medicine (AHA/ACSM) guidelines advocate preparticipation screening, planning, and rehearsal for emergencies and automated external defibrillators in all health/fitness facilities. The authors evaluated adherence to these recommendations at 158 recreational service departments in major US universities (51% response rate for 313 institutions queried). Many made their facilities available to unaffiliated residents, with 39% offering programs for those with special medical conditions. Only 18% performed universal preparticipation screening. Twenty-seven percent reported having 1 or more exercise-related instances of cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death within the past 5 years. Seventy-three percent had an automated external defibrillator, but only 6% reported using it in an emergency. Almost all had written emergency plans, but only 50% posted their plans, and only 27% performed the recommended quarterly emergency drills. The authors' findings suggest low awareness of and adherence to the AHA/ACSM recommendations for identifying individuals at risk for exercise-related cardiovascular complications and for handling such emergencies in university-based fitness facilities. (