Interest in sports cardiology is booming, although it is not considered a subspecialty per se. Between the tragic incidents that can occur at sports events, athletes requesting check-ups, federations increasingly requesting medical certificates and the pathological findings in the corresponding examinations, more and more cardiologists are seeing a very different patient profile from that of traditional everyday practice. Current training options in this specific field are limited and depend entirely on the particular interests of the individual. The world of sports cardiology might, at first glance, appear a simple one in which most patients are healthy, but the changes involved in the cardiovascular response to exercise and in those who are eventually diagnosed with heart disease and want to continue to play sport (competitively or at an amateur level) have their own particularities. Any help, therefore, in learning the field and studying cases is more than welcome.
With this in mind, the European Society of Cardiology has delivered a new book on sports cardiology: The ESC Textbook of Sports Cardiology, based on contributions from multiple authors and edited by 5 experts renowned in the world of sports cardiology.
The book is divided into broad sections, each containing various subtopics. The first chapters start off with traditional aspects such as physiology and the cardiovascular response to exercise, with a fairly complete section on the electrocardiogram in the athlete. The order of the subsequent sections differs a little from most other books on the same subject. First, they explain the heart diseases, both structural and rhythm disorders, that can cause major cardiovascular events or various restrictions in elite athletes and those of a more amateur level. They go on to describe in more detail preparticipation screening (which is divided by age range). Detailed information is given on almost all the cardiovascular causes of sudden death, with 2 subsections that divide these into the more and less frequent causes, explaining their diagnosis, repercussions, and management in athletes. It could perhaps be said that the book lacks a section dedicated exclusively to ischemic heart disease, although this is covered throughout several different chapters.
Almost all of the topics are illustrated with useful figures and tables that make it easier to quickly look up any questions that might arise (although this information should be interpreted with caution as some of it is very general).
A novel feature is the section dedicated to safety in sports facilities. This includes 3 chapters and highlights the importance not only of prevention and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, but also of the appropriate management in sports facilities to ensure rapid action when a potentially fatal event occurs and a carefully considered action plan for such events.
In conclusion, this book could be very useful for cardiologists who are starting to branch into sports cardiology, and for sports physicians interested in this area. For professionals at more advanced stages of their career, it is another resource that may be consulted to provide guidance if required in certain cases.
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