Research: Sudden death in athletes may be due to microscopic heart abnormalities.

A new study in France has found that microscopic cardiac tissue abnormalities that are difficult to detect in routine check-ups may lead to sudden death in athletes, providing a new direction for early intervention. Athletes generally have good physical health, so their sudden deaths are often shocking. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, approximately 800 amateur athletes and around 15 professional athletes die suddenly each year in France. More than 80% of these deaths are related to heart rhythm disorders, half of which have identifiable causes, such as vasodilation due to heart disease. However, the other half of the causes are difficult to explain. Some theories suggest that these sudden deaths are caused by transient phenomena related to physical exertion, such as high body temperature, dehydration, release of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the body.