Bahraini researchers have developed a new region-specific questionnaire, designed to save lives by detecting early warning signs of sports-related sudden cardiac death (SSCD).
It was created as part of the ‘Sports-related sudden cardiac death: Developing a valid and reliable screening tool’ study by University of Bahrain researchers Mohamed Merza Al Rayes and Mohamed Abdulla Husain.
The 34-item tool is designed to identify individuals at increased risk of SSCD – a rare but devastating heart attack that can occur during or immediately after exercise.
Published in the Saudi Journal of Sports Medicine, the research outlines how the questionnaire was created, validated and adapted to the Gulf’s cultural and demographic context.
“Although uncommon, sports-related sudden cardiac death (SSCD) can have catastrophic outcomes,” the authors wrote. “Existing international screening tools such as the American Heart Association-14 (AHA‑14), participation physical evaluation-4 (PPE-4), Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, American College of Sports Medicine risk stratification and Framingham Risk Score are limited in their ability to detect risk factors relevant to diverse populations, particularly within the Arabian Gulf region.
“This research aims to develop and validate a comprehensive screening questionnaire for identifying individuals at increased risk of SSCD during physical activity.”
