Lesson of the month 1: Case reports of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies in military personnel

Abstract

In military recruits, sudden cardiac death rates have been reported as varying from 2 to 13 per 100,000 per year which are mostly related to exercise. However, the development of structural heart changes that may be associated with ventricular arrhythmias have not been reported among this cohort, despite them undergoing endurance training similar to athletes. Here, we report two cases where military personnel were found to have life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias associated with structural heart disease, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment of these arrhythmias.