Sudden cardiac death of a young football player

Abstract

The overall estimated risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in the young is 1/100,000. It may occur during physical activity and the underlying possible causes are multiple. The case here reported concerns an apparently healthy 29-year-old male that dropped unconscious during a recreational football game. Reanimation manoeuvres were not successful. The autopsy revealed anomalous left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), associated to hypoplasia of the circumflex and to tortuosity and acute thrombosis of the right coronary artery. Congenital Anomalies of Coronary Arteries are a relevant cause of sudden and unexpected death, often during childhood and adolescence.