The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS') Office of Inspector General has issued a consumer alert, urging parents, caregivers, athletic programs and student athletes to beware of fraudulent cardiovascular testing schemes exploiting fears around sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes.

The alert notes that "diagnostic testing should occur only after a physician with an established doctor-patient relationship assesses what tests are appropriate" and that "a doctor cannot determine which tests [are needed] without conducting a proper clinical evaluation."

In early 2025, the ACC released new guidance addressing competitive sports participation for athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities. The statement covers sports classifications, preparticipation cardiac evaluation, ethical aspects of competitive sport eligibility, and various cardiovascular conditions and more. A recent ACC Societal Statement also warns of the potential harms and unintended consequences of legislative mandates for universal electrocardiogram screening in competitive athletes, instead promoting effective interventions like cardiac emergency action plan implementation.

"For athletes and physically active individuals, cardiovascular screening should be guided by current evidence and published ACC recommendations and individualized based on symptoms, family history, training level and clinical risk factors – not through a one-size-fits-all approach," says Ankit B. Shah, MD, FACC, chair of ACC's Sports and Exercise Cardiology Member Section. "Athletes and families should be cautious of unsolicited cardiovascular screening programs that promise to detect hidden heart disease through broad testing without an appropriate clinical evaluation and interpretation. As highlighted in recent ACC and JACC guidance, cardiovascular screening in athletes requires specific expertise to distinguish physiologic 'athlete's heart' remodeling from true pathology, and should be embedded within a structured, timely diagnostic pathway that emphasizes appropriate downstream evaluation, shared decision-making, and avoidance of unnecessary anxiety or inappropriate restriction from exercise."

Access HHS' consumer alert and explore ACC's Scientific Statement on the topic.

Clinical Topics: Arrhythmias and Clinical EP, Cardiovascular Care Team, Sports and Exercise Cardiology, SCD/Ventricular Arrhythmias

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, Physician-Patient Relations, United States Dept. of Health and Human Services, Cardiovascular Abnormalities, Death, Sudden, Cardiac, Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures, Sports, Students, Athletes