Sudden Cardiac Death in Rugby Clubs

pp. 40-44

Abstract

Background: Sudden cardiac death accounts for approximately 12% of all natural deaths and around 50% of cardiovascular deaths in developed countries. The advent of the automated external defibrillator has allowed understanding that its early use in conjunction with cardiac resuscitation increases the chances of survival to 80% if applied in the first minute.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics (available automated external defibrillators at the institution, their current number, location, presence of signaling, availability of resuscitation algorithms, cases in which it was required) and the rate of mortality due to sudden cardiac death in people attending events organized in Argentine Rugby clubs.

Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study in which 137 rugby clubs be longing to the Buenos Aires Rugby Union and provincial rugby unions were included in a training program in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the community and non-medical personnel from January 2012 to July 2017. Some of these clubs previously received as a donation an internationally validated Zoll™ automated external defibrillator, and
others acquired a Cardiac Science™ defibrillator. Follow-up was carried out for 5 years through telephone contact in order to record the cardiovascular events that occurred during that period and the use given to the defibrillator.

Results: The automated external defibrillator was used in 7 out of 100 clubs with defibrillator availability (7%), resulting in an overall use in 8 patients. In 88% of cases the victim of sudden death was a player, and in 12% a spectator. Mortality in the field was 25% (2 deaths in the field), and 100% of survivors reached the hospital alive. The annual incidence of sudden death in rugby players was 1.7/100,000.

Conclusion: The implementation of training programs in cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers and access to automated
external defibrillators in rugby clubs of the Buenos Aires and other provinces proved to be useful in the early access of victims of sudden death events.