

The most common underlying conditions were heart rhythm disorders known as CPVD (catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia) and LQTS (congenital long QT syndrome).Underlying heart conditions were known in just seven (31%) patients beforehand, but confirmed in 12 (54%) afterward.Six (27%) experienced cardiac arrest and four (18%) died suddenly.19 males (86%) were identified as having experienced suspected or proven ventricular arrhythmia during electronic gaming.Of the 22 cases identified, multiplayer war gaming was the most frequent trigger.The Australian investigators who conducted the new review based their conclusions on dozens of studies and reports on children who experienced sudden loss of consciousness while playing video games and were determined to have underlying heart conditions. “But what this paper argues is that if you have a child whom you believe to be at risk for a cardiac event for whatever reason, you can’t necessarily be assured that a competitive video game is going to be a safer activity for them.” “I think in the past, there’s been a thought that if there’s a child who we believe is at risk for arrhythmia or some sort of cardiovascular complication from aerobic exercise, then maybe some sort of sedentary activity, like playing a video game, would be safer for them,” he says. He notes that new findings should prompt a rethinking of conventional belief that video games are safer for kids with underlying heart problems than traditional sports, such as basketball, soccer, and hockey, that can put young athletes at risk for sudden cardiac death. that’s the common underlying theme between aerobic exercise and competitive video games." “Whether that’s mental excitement or physical exertion, it’s something that increases your heart rate and increases the stimulated input to the cardiovascular system. “What it comes down to is what kind of stress stimulates the cardiovascular system,” he says. The same might also be said of other highly stressful activities, such as watching horror films or exciting competitive sporting events that get your heart beating faster. Sohinki says what’s needed is a better understanding of how stress - mental or physical - stimulates the cardiovascular system in ways that can be dangerous to gamers and traditional sports athletes alike. In an editorial accompanying the new report, Daniel Sohinki, MD, with the Department of Cardiology at Augusta University in Georgia, argues that the study’s findings suggest screening programs - similar to what’s recommended for collegiate sports - aimed at identifying underlying cardiac issues “should encompass athletes being considered for participation in eSports.” Even so, the findings suggest parents monitor their children for signs of stress while gaming - such as sudden fainting or blacking out during periods of high excitement - that might signal an underlying heart condition that could put their lives in danger. Such cases are rare, says Christian Turner, MBBS, a co-author of the report, published in the journal Heart Rhythm. “Children who suddenly lose consciousness while electronic gaming should be assessed by a heart specialist as this could be the first sign of a serious heart problem.” Lawley, MBBS, PhD, with The Heart Centre for Children in Sydney, Australia, in a statement. “Video games may represent a serious risk to some children with arrhythmic conditions they might be lethal in patients with predisposing, but often previously unrecognized arrhythmic conditions,” notes lead investigator Claire M. The researchers also found only 7 of the 22 had received a prior diagnosis of arrhythmia or other heart problems. Six had heart attacks, and four died suddenly. Nineteen of the mostly male gamers, aged 7 to 16, experienced serious irregular heartbeats known as ventricular arrhythmia. Many reports called the 2013 case a rare isolated incident, noting the teen had an underlying heart condition that put him at risk.īut new research suggests such cases are more common than you might think.Īustralian scientists who reviewed nearly 70 studies and reports on cardiovascular risks from electronic gaming identified 22 children and teens who lost consciousness while playing video games and experienced heart rhythm problems and other cardiac complications. teen’s death made international headlines. 12, 2022 - When 16-year-old Jake Gallagher died of a heart attack while playing video games, the U.K.
