Fred Reifsteck, UGA Athletic Department’s head team physician, recently spoke with CNN about the importance of cardiac screenings for athletes.
Since 1995, the university has included an electrocardiogram, or ECG, and an echocardiogram for all student-athletes as part of its pre-participation physical exam.
“We want to make sure it’s safe for you to play athletics at the University of Georgia. But looking forward for the rest of your life, we want to make sure that you might know about a condition that might affect you as you age,” Reifsteck said.
The screenings not only provide a more complete medical history for young athletes, but they also provide insight for their future health.
In addition to screenings, Reifsteck said that every team or school needs to have three essentials: automated external defibrillators or AEDs, people who know CPR and an emergency action plan.
