Preparticipation Cardiac Evaluation from the Pediatric Perspective

Abstract

Each year millions of children and adolescents undergo sports preparticipation evaluations (PPEs) before participating in organized sports. A primary aim of the PPE is to screen for risk factors associated with sudden cardiac death. This article is designed to summarize the current thoughts on the PPE with a specific slant toward the pediatric and early adolescent evaluation and how these evaluations may differ from those in adults.