Cardiac Screening

Two weeks ago, the Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee of the GAA announced a number of new initiatives relevant to medical issues within the Association, including details of their plans to address the issue of Sudden Cardiac death.

They plan to complete a study of over 400 inter-county footballers and hurlers which will involve full cardiac screening of the players taking part, involving physical examination, ECG (Electrocardiogram) and ECHO (Echocardiogram) testing and the completion of a questionnaire. This pilot project will be completed under the direction of Dublin City University and participating players will be screened in the Mater Hospital under the supervision of cardiologists with a special interest in sport. We will be contacting the players selected for the pilot project in the coming days.

In addition, the committee, under the chairmanship of Dr. Pat Duggan, has recommended that all players over the age of fourteen should self-administer a questionnaire based on symptoms associated with exercise and family history of cardiac issues.

The questionnaire which can be accessed on the GAA website at [link= “www.gaa.ie “]www.gaa.ie[/link] by going to the link for ?GAA Forms Medical?. It is crucial that all our players over the age of 14 are made aware of this recommendation. I ask you, therefore, to draw the matter to the attention of all your clubs at the next County Committee meeting and to use the various communication channels open to you to ensure that all our players are aware of the importance of completing this questionnaire.

Paraic ? Dufaigh
Bainisteoir na nImreoiri (Player Welfare Manager)

Tel. 01-8363222 Extn.2148
pduffy@admingaa.ie

 

 

12-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO