New tests like heart scans for calcium buildup and DNA tests for inherited heart defects might help doctors better guess which athletes are at highest risk of sudden death.

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Atherosclerosis and Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes.

Narrative Review

Human

2025 Sep

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Atherosclerosis and Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes.

Score: 1

DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2025.103123

Similar Assertions

Young athletes who die suddenly during sports usually have a birth defect in their heart arteries, while older athletes die from clogged arteries — two different problems at different ages.

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