Bronny James, the son of NBA legend LeBron James, suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday. The 18-year-old was working out with his basketball team when his heart stopped. He had to be rushed to the hospital. Thankfully, he is recovering, but cardiologists are sharing warning signs for parents of young athletes.
Cardiac arrest kills about 200 children every year. While the family has not released details about what led to Bronny's cardiac arrest, some cardiologists have weighed in on possible causes.
According to Dr. Meghan E. Tozzi, pediatric cardiologist at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Adam Kean, pediatric cardiologist at Riley Children's Health in Indianapolis, the leading cause of cardiac arrest in young athletes is a condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The condition is genetic.
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As Kean puts it, the heart grows in a disorganized and thicker manner so that it is not able to function appropriately. "It causes lethal arrhythmia in all people [and] tends to come about in athletes of all ages, but certainly young athletes." Though a person can be born with the condition, it can go unnoticed for years.
Tozzi weighed in, sharing that other types of cardiomyopathy can lead to cardiac arrest in young people as well. She explains that cardiomyopathy means the heart muscle isn't working "in a typical way." The heart muscle can become too thick, too thin or dilated, which can lead to an arrhythmia.
Dr. Tara Narula, a cardiologist at Northwell Health, shared that the two most common types of arrhythmia leading to cardiac arrest are ventricular tachycardia, which starts in the heart's lower chambers, and atrial fibrillation, which starts in the upper chambers. “This is definitely an uncommon occurrence. But when it happens, it’s emotionally jarring."
Other causes of cardiac arrest in young people could be congenital heart disease or defects present at birth affecting the structure of the heart, according to Tozzi, which is less common because it tends to be diagnosed early on. Myocarditis, which is inflammation in the heart that occurs when someone is sick, and other conditions such as commotio cordis, which is what occurred with NFL player Damar Hamlin, can also lead to cardiac arrest.
According to the cardiologists, some symptoms that people might experience before going into cardiac arrest are chest pain, dizziness, feeling like their heart is racing, a burning or crushing chest pain, or even passing out after physical activity. They added that any family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or symptoms of a possible genetic condition is a reason to see a doctor.
Things that other people can watch out for to identify someone going into cardiac arrest are: sudden collapsing, no pulse, no breathing, and loss of consciousness. It is also important for schools and parents to advocate for automated external defibrillators (AED) and people trained to perform CPR. Dr. Tozzi added that high quality CPR and AEDs are the difference between life and death for someone going into cardiac arrest.
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
