Commotio cordis overview
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Commotio cordis is a rare and potentially fatal condition characterized by sudden cardiac death triggered by a blunt, non-penetrating impact to the chest. It is most commonly associated with sports activities, such as baseball, ice hockey, lacrosse, and softball. However, it can also occur as a result of fistfights or other forms of physical violence.
Pathophysiology
Typically, arrhythmic deaths are caused by a low/mild force striking the chest wall, a condition known as Commotio Cordis. Many of those suffering from this condition are athletes between the ages of 8 and 18 and play sports that involve projectiles, such as baseball, hockey pucks, and lacrosse balls. When a hand strikes in martial arts, its force can alter its rhythm, causing it to become arrhythmic. If a projectile strikes the athlete's heart in the middle of their chest with a low impact but is sufficient to cause their heart to become arrhythmic, it can also cause the athlete's heart to become arrhythmic. In the case of commotio cordis, a poor prognosis is associated with failure to provide immediate CPR and defibrillation. This is a hazardous condition that has a very low survival rate.