SE Academic Review 2023

28 ST EDWARD’S, OXFORD

The Italian Model There is a country that has a better and safer programme to prevent and reduce cardiac deaths than the current UK programme, and that is Italy. The Italian model was introduced in 1982 and mandates annual medical history and physical examinations for all professional athletes including a cardiac scan. The purpose of this plan is to ‘identify cardiovascular diseases that pose a risk of sudden death during sport’ (Vessella, et al., 2020, p. 231). Over the 26 years the model has been running, there has been an 89% reduction in sudden cardiac deaths. Vessella et al.’s (2020) study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine investigated Conclusion From reviewing the Italian model, I have learned that there is evidence supporting my thesis statement, explaining that more could be done in the UK to alleviate the impact of CVD. The Italian model consists of a rigorous cardiac scanning process which has been proven to reduce cardiac and deaths which I believe should be mandatory in the UK, if not universally within professional sport. From analysing the current situation in the UK regarding medical scans, including cardiac screening, there is evidence that most professional clubs do have a sufficient procedure in place. But the aim of a mandatory model would be to save lives amongst the population. Thus, although the Italian model proves that screening saves lives, it is too narrowly applied. For it to have significant effect, screening needs to be made available to all. The UK could introduce a law like the Italian government; however, this will only focus on a small number of the population. I believe to make this more effective, cardiac scans and screening methods should be accessible for more of the population. Having said this, I have discovered during the writing and researching of this essay, that this will not be economically viable due to the cost of running cardiac examinations.

the importance and success of the plan. During their study, 90.2 % of athletes went on for more examinations, out of these 1.5% were diagnosed to have a CVD. The cost of the programme is estimated at £70 per person. This highly successful percentage of results, has caused the Italian government to mandate a medical certificate for all individuals who wish to participate in competitive sport which is granted after a rigorous medical examination, including cardiac examinations. Surprisingly, no other European country advocates this requirement. I believe a greater emphasis should be placed on other methods mentioned in the NHS Long Term Plan such as people knowing their ‘ABC’ numbers, including blood pressure and cholesterol. If people are aware of the condition of their health, they can make changes to their lifestyle or take medication and will be less likely to develop a cardiac disease. Congenital heart defects could be detected early and this could reduce the chances of fatalities. Simple methods such as scanning babies, increasing genetic testing in those with a family history of defects could also make sure parents are aware of the risks and an even more rigorous screening process could occur. As I have discovered, treating congenital conditions early can be lifesaving. Perhaps as an outcome of this, those highlighted as being more at risk, for example because they may have high cholesterol or a family history with CVD, should be able to have a more thorough cardiac screening process, including some of the examinations I have previously mentioned. Other simple factors such as diet and increased amount of exercise could also have a large impact on reducing the amount of CVD. This could be an area the NHS could focus on as it is an easier and more cost-effective method of controlling and reducing the chances of developing CVD.