Abstract
O n Nov. 29. 1995, two-time gold medalist Sergei Grinkov collapsed suddenly while training at an ice rink in Lake Placid, N.Y He died later that day. The 28-year-old had suffered a fatal heart attack. Grinkov's death represents a tragedy for his family, friends, and the many fans of his elegant skating style. Yet like the sudden deaths of other famous athletes, it has focused attention on a killer that stalks people in the prime of life. Sudden cardiac death kills an estimated 250,000 people in the United States each year, making it a public health problem of enormous magnitude. As the summer games play out in Atlanta, several research teams are reporting discoveries about this heart hazard. One group recently identified a genetic flaw that played a role in Grinkov's untimely death. Another concluded that, in most cases, sudden death in athletes can be blamed on the heartspecifically, on one of several structural abnormalities.
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