FRIDAY, Sept. 20, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Researchers in Baltimore are looking for volunteeers to help them learn more about a rare heart defect that kills athletes.
The defect, called arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), seems to run in families and occurs when the healthy heart muscle tissue of the right ventricle is replaced by fat and scar tissue. That abnormal tissue may interfere with electrical messages sent to the right ventricle and lead to a potentially fatal "short-circuit" arrhythmia.
ARVD affects about 1 in 5,000 people, and accounts for about a fifth of all cases of sudden cardiac death in people younger than 35. It often happens during vigorous exercise.
To better understand the condition, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions are working with other researchers around the world to find the best way to diagnose ARVD and find the genetic causes of it.
They're looking for people with possible ARVD to take part in the United States Multicenter ARVD Trial. For more information or to schedule an appointment to be tested at Johns Hopkins, contact Crystal Tichnell at 410-502-7161 or email her at ctichnell@jhmi.edu.
The actual cause of ARVD is unknown, but researchers suspect it's genetic. There is no cure for ARVD. Many patients receive an implantable defibrillator. The pacemaker-like device monitors heartbeats and delivers an electric shock to the heart if it senses a dangerous arrhythmia. Some people with ARVD receive medications to manage the condition. People with ARVD are advised to avoid strenuous, competitive exercise.
More information
Read more about ARVD.
