Kommentar zum Positionspapier der EACPR zur Etablierung eines europaweiten Curriculums für eine Zusatzqualifikation Sportkardiologie

In recent years, physical activity and exercise training have increasingly been acknowledged to be important components of the prevention and treatment of cardiac disease. This includes, but is not limited to, the evaluation of cardiovascular risks in competitive and recreational athletes, and the prescription of individualized exercise interventions in patients who are either at increased cardiometabolic risk or have overt cardiac disease. In contrast, exercise-related issues relevant to differential diagnosis and treatment are not adequately reflected by current curricula for general cardiologists. Thus, the sports cardiology section of the European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (EACPR) has recently published a proposal for a core curriculumfor a European sports cardiology qualification. This position paper summarizes the steps, procedures, and knowledge required to become a sports cardiology specialist, suggesting that this subspeciality should be acquired on top of a qualification in either general cardiology or sports medicine. The EACPR recommendations predominantly focus on the prevention of sudden cardiac death in competitive athletes. The authors of the present commentary explicitly appreciate the European initiative, as there is a clear need for qualified sports cardiologists in Germany as well. However, in contrast to the EACPR proposal, a sports cardiology subspeciality should only be acquired in addition to a qualification in general cardiology. Moreover, apart from the cardiovascular care of competitive athletes, the significance of sports cardiology within prevention and rehabilitation should at least be equally emphasized. The goal is to establish clear guidelines and competences to enable safe and beneficial sports participation for both patients and athletes.