08/11/2025
• Among young athletes in the U.S., the incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) has been estimated at roughly 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 80,000 per year. 
• For collegiate athletes (National Collegiate Athletic Association), one large study found an incidence of 1 in 63,682 athlete-years overall; higher among male athletes and Black athletes. 
• Survival improves dramatically when bystander CPR + on-site AED use occur: e.g., one study of young athletes found survival was 83% if a certified athletic trainer was on-site and 89% if an on‐site AED was used. 
• For sports-related sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young athletes, one registry reported ~43.8% survival to hospital discharge when it occurred during competitive sport. 
• Time matters: For every minute defibrillation is delayed after collapse, survival chances drop by about 7-10% per minute.