Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Commotio Cordis, Sports Medicine

Elizabeth A. Williams, DO Reviewed 04/2019

BASICS

ALERT

Early resuscitation with automated external defibrillator (AED)/defibrillation improves survival.

DESCRIPTION

Commotio cordis (CC), Latin for “disturbance of the heart,” is blunt, nonpenetr...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Witnessed trauma to the precordium followed by collapse should elicit suspicion of CC:

There may be a delay from impact to collapse.

PHYSICAL EXAM

In the setting of collapse, any physic...

TREATMENT

Treatment consists of immediate institution of basic life support (BLS)/advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocols, including implementation of an AED. Early defibrillation is critical t...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

All patients should be admitted to the hospital for observation and monitoring after the event.
Patients should be followed after discharge to as...

REFERENCES

Maron BJ, Haas TS, Ahluwalia A, et al. Increasing survival rate from commotio cordis. Heart Rhythm. 2013;10(2):219–223.

Krexi L, Sheppard MN. Blow/trauma to the chest and sudden card...

ADDITIONAL READING

Alsheikh-Ali AA, Madias C, Supran S, et al. Marked variability in susceptibility to ventricular fibrillation in an experimental commotio cordis model. Circulation. 2010;122(24...

CLINICAL PEARLS

Witnessed precordial impact to a young athlete with resultant distress/collapse should elicit consideration of CC. Immediate institution of BLS/ACLS protocols with use of AED provides ...

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