Some of the reasons that Black athletes experience more heart problems than their White counterparts could include underlying health conditions, environmental stressors, proximity to health care facilities and discrimination.
The image of Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin fighting for his life on the field in Cincinnati will remain in many people’s minds for years to come.
However, cardiac arrest while participating in athletic competition is not an isolated event, and Black athletes experience the life-threatening emergency more than their White counterparts.
On Dec. 2, Emory University’s Emory News Center reported, “A recent major review of data published by the Lancet and led by Emory sports cardiologist Jonathan Kim, MD, shows that Black athletes are approximately five times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to White athletes, despite some evidence of a decline in rates of SCD overall. SCA and SCD have historically been a leading cause of mortality among athletes, particularly those in high-intensity sports.
“The disparities in SCA/D rates highlights the need for increased research into the social determinants of health in younger athletes, a topic that remains understudied, according to Kim.”
The doctor said, “To truly address these disparities, it’s not enough to just screen for potential problems. There needs to be an understanding of how to tackle the underlying social determinants of health that puts these at greater risks…
“We need to look for potential underlying health conditions. We also need to consider all these environmental stressors that young individuals have to deal with and also where they grow up. Just five to 10 years ago, I doubt many were thinking about social determinants of health and impacts on young athletes.”
Emory News Center reported, “Social determinants of health, such as economic stability, proximity to health care facilities, access to health information, and experiences with discrimination can play a significant role in disparities in health outcomes, even in young athletes. By incorporating social determinants of health into future research, Kim says we may be better poised to understand how to mitigate the impacts on young athletes in particular.”
Kim stressed that correct management of sudden cardiac arrest begins with a proper pre-participation evaluation (PPE) in which adequate planning and sufficient resources are needed.
While the Hamlin situation has progressed positively, with him even returning to the gridiron, many sports fans of a certain age can remember when a player experiencing cardiac arrest on national television did not end as well.
In 1990, Loyola Marymount University basketball star Hank Gathers died tragically after experiencing heart failure during a conference tournament game, while his mother wailed in despair at midcourt.
According to History, “On March 4, 1990, Loyola Marymount University star senior forward Hank Gathers sprints down the court during the West Coast Conference tournament game, leaps and catches an alley-oop pass, slams down an emphatic dunk, and, after jogging back to midcourt, collapses to the floor. Although he briefly regains consciousness, he is rushed to the hospital, where he dies.”
At the time, his coach Paul Westhead, formerly an NBA championship head coach with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980, said, “This is the hardest thing I’ve experienced.”
As a junior at Loyola Marymount, Gathers led the nation in scoring and rebounding.
Partnering with his high school teammate, as well as his teammate when the two attended the University of Southern California, Bo Kimble, many had envisioned him leading Loyola Marymount deep in the 1990 NCAA Tournament before taking his talents to the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Kimble went on to become a first round NBA draft pick for the Los Angeles Clippers.
But before the draft, Kimble honored his long-time friend by shooting a free throw (one-handed) with his left hand during an NCAA Tournament game because Gathers had gone to that style because he suffered at the free throw line shooting with his right hand.
In 1990, Loyola Marymount made it all the way to the Elite Eight despite being the 11th seed in their NCAA Tournament region.
History added, “(Gathers) had collapsed on the court during a game earlier in his senior season. He quickly recovered, and doctors were unable to fully ascertain what was wrong with him. (An autopsy would later reveal he suffered from a heart disorder known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).
“Despite being prescribed heart medication, Gathers was cleared to play again and, after a few sluggish performances, appeared to be back to his old self after a 48-point, 13-rebound game against an LSU team that featured Shaquille O’Neal.”
People often bring up Gathers’ name as a cautionary tell when talking to athletes with a heart condition.
Loyola Marymount athletic director Brian Quinn told the Los Angeles Times, “[Gathers] was an outstanding young man as an athlete and as a human being. We’re all better people for having the opportunity to know him and be his friend.”
Another tragic story involving heart trouble was the heartbreaking death of Boston Celtics All-Star shooting guard Reggie Lewis who died during a team practice three years after Gathers’ death.
In 1998, CBS News reported, “Lewis was 27 when he died in the Celtics practice gym at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., on July 27, 1993.
“He had previously collapsed during a game, and a team of New England Baptist Hospital doctors said he had a life-threatening heart ailment and warned that his career was in jeopardy.”
However, the New England Baptist Hospital also recommended that Lewis get tested for cocaine.
Lewis refused.
CBS News added, “Lewis transferred to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where another team…diagnosed him with a less-harmful neurological condition. Mudge said he was optimistic Lewis could play again.”
Like Gathers, Lewis’ death was attributed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
