Brevard County health officials urge sports safety in schools
Brevard County health officials want families, players and coaches to stay safe this school year. They’re urging everyone to have the right medical tools on hand at games and practices—and to remember to get an annual physical before the season starts.WESH 2 visited Viera Hospital to speak with Dr. Kevin Campbell, a cardiologist and chair of medicine.He said every school should have an automated external defibrillator, or AED, readily available—not just in the school building, but especially at sporting events and practices. An AED can help save a life and should be used immediately if someone becomes unconscious.Campbell also emphasized the importance of sports physicals and ECGs, or electrocardiograms, for student-athletes.“This is so important, particularly for football players and basketball players, because we do see sudden cardiac death in high school athletes,” Campbell said. “A lot of these are preventable, and a lot of these are pretty easy to find if we screen appropriately.”While cardiac deaths in high school athletes are rare, he said it’s still important to ensure that student-athletes receive an EKG as part of their physical.
Brevard County health officials want families, players and coaches to stay safe this school year. They’re urging everyone to have the right medical tools on hand at games and practices—and to remember to get an annual physical before the season starts.
WESH 2 visited Viera Hospital to speak with Dr. Kevin Campbell, a cardiologist and chair of medicine.
He said every school should have an automated external defibrillator, or AED, readily available—not just in the school building, but especially at sporting events and practices. An AED can help save a life and should be used immediately if someone becomes unconscious.
Campbell also emphasized the importance of sports physicals and ECGs, or electrocardiograms, for student-athletes.
“This is so important, particularly for football players and basketball players, because we do see sudden cardiac death in high school athletes,” Campbell said. “A lot of these are preventable, and a lot of these are pretty easy to find if we screen appropriately.”
While cardiac deaths in high school athletes are rare, he said it’s still important to ensure that student-athletes receive an EKG as part of their physical.
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