Sports Heart Screening for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Many schools in South Florida now require athletes to have an EKG (electrocardiogram) before participating in organized sports. An EKG can help detect certain abnormal heart rhythms and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a condition linked to sudden death in athletes.

What Is a Sports Clearance EKG?

Because your heart is under more stress during sports, it’s important to make sure it is functioning to its fullest. An EKG is a simple, quick, noninvasive test to record your heart’s electrical activity.

We can learn a lot about your heart from studying how your heart beats. EKGs can help detect hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and certain kinds of arrhythmias.

Sports Clearance EKG: Why Choose Us?

Each year, through our sports screening program, we diagnose and treat student athletes with potentially life-threatening heart abnormalities.

EKG: What to Expect

An EKG is a noninvasive, painless test.

• There is no electrical charge or shock. In fact, you will not feel anything during the test.
• You will lie down on a table, and a nurse or technician will attach electrodes to your chest, arms and legs. Electrodes are small pads that safely conduct the electric current from your body into the reporting machine.
• We connect the electrodes by wires to the EKG machine, which records your heart’s electrical activity on a computer.
• The test only takes a few minutes. We’ll remove the electrodes as soon as it’s finished.
• A cardiologist reviews the results and sends them directly to your pediatrician (this takes a few days). If the EKG results appear abnormal, our on-call cardiologist will look at them before you leave to make a follow-up appointment.
• Parents can stay with their child throughout the entire procedure.

How to prepare for an EKG

• Do not wear oily or greasy skin creams and lotions because they can prevent the electrode from making skin contact.
• Do not wear full-length stockings because electrodes need to be placed directly on the legs.
• Wear a shirt that can be easily removed.

THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS A RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT, OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT THAT IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED FEE, OR REDUCED FEE SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT.

All patients (or their parents) who obtain an EKG under this program must sign a document certifying that they will not seek reimbursement for the test from any federal health care program, commercial insurer or other third-party payor. The free EKG constitutes a net discount. If patient is a Medicare or other federal health care program beneficiary, the patient (or parent) may be obligated to report this discount to the program upon request, pursuant to 42 C.F.R. 1001.952(h). The patient’s ability to obtain a free EKG test is not contingent in any way on his or her purchase or order of any other items or services from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital or its Medical Staff. To be a part of this program, the patient may use any pediatrician, regardless of whether or not that pediatrician is a member of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Medical Staff.