Sara Gould, M.D., MPH, associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Camden Hebson, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, were recently featured as experts on ESPN’s SportsCenter regarding athlete Bronny James’ recent cardiac arrest.
“The fact that we are starting to see people [have] sudden cardiac arrest, and [they are] able to walk away from it, really underscores the importance of educating people about how to treat the sudden cardiac arrest so that we can prevent sudden cardiac death,” said Gould.
Gould and Hebson are co-directors of UAB’s Sports Medicine Cardiology Clinic for Young Athletes – one of the only adolescent sports cardiology clinics in the United States.
During the interview, Gould mentions a study that looks at sudden cardiac death in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes. The study, co-authored by Irfan M. Asif, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, shows that male basketball players are more at risk.
“Male basketball players, in particular, are at a very elevated risk for suffering from sudden cardiac death,” said Gould. “We really want to emphasize how important it is to have an AED on the sidelines or immediately available.”
James is the eldest son of professional basketball player, LeBron James. He is entering his freshman year at the University of Southern California and, according to ESPN, is the sixth-rated point guard in the class of 2023. James is reported to be in stable condition following the cardiac arrest.