Sports Cardiology focuses on evaluating, managing and optimising cardiovascular health in athletes across all performance levels—from elite professionals to recreational exercisers. With rising awareness of exercise-related risks such as arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies and sudden cardiac arrest, clinicians increasingly seek structured learning in Sports Cardiology when choosing specialised imaging or preventive pathways at a cardiology conference. As athletic populations present unique physiological adaptations that may mimic disease, the ability to differentiate benign changes from pathological findings is critical for safe clearance, long-term monitoring and personalised performance advice. Because exertional symptoms often stem from underlying exercise-induced arrhythmias, this session offers a comprehensive overview of screening, diagnostics, risk assessment and management strategies for active individuals.

The session begins by explaining key concepts of the “athlete’s heart,” including physiological chamber enlargement, increased wall thickness, enhanced diastolic function and resting bradycardia. Participants learn how training-driven cardiovascular adaptations vary by sport type—endurance, strength or mixed disciplines—and how these changes appear on ECG, echocardiography and cardiac MRI. The importance of distinguishing adaptive remodeling from cardiomyopathy, myocarditis or congenital anomalies is emphasised, as misinterpretation can result in unnecessary restriction or missed diagnosis.

Screening and pre-participation evaluation form a major component of the programme. Delegates explore structured history-taking, symptom assessment, family history documentation and ECG interpretation using athlete-specific guidelines. The session highlights red flags such as exertional chest pain, syncope, disproportionate dyspnea or palpitations that warrant further evaluation. Emphasis is placed on identifying conditions associated with sudden cardiac death in athletes, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, anomalous coronaries, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and ion-channel disorders.

Diagnostic strategies include exercise testing, ambulatory rhythm monitoring, stress echocardiography and advanced imaging to investigate symptoms, arrhythmias or unclear baseline findings. Participants review algorithms for evaluating exertional arrhythmias, including differentiation between benign PVCs and patterns suggestive of cardiomyopathy or channelopathies. The session also covers return-to-play decisions, outlining sport-specific participation guidelines for conditions such as myocarditis, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias and post-procedural recovery.

Management strategies encompass lifestyle guidance, hydration, heat adaptation, conditioning programmes and altitude considerations. Athletes with diagnosed conditions receive targeted counselling regarding safe training intensity, monitoring, medication restrictions and emergency planning. Special topics include cardiac screening for masters athletes, cardiovascular concerns in female athletes, overtraining effects, and the impact of performance-enhancing substances on cardiac physiology.

Future directions explore AI-assisted ECG interpretation, wearable monitoring innovations, personalised risk modeling and expanding global guidelines for athlete safety. By the end of the session, clinicians will be prepared to support athletes through evidence-based cardiovascular care, ensuring performance optimisation without compromising safety.