By Tommy Howard

thoward@gtowntimes.com

* Athletes at risk

Picture a kid on the football field at one of Georgetown County's high schools.

He studies hard, spends time in the weight room, is happy to play with the pigskin on Fridays in the fall -- and chances are, he's at a high risk of death.

No, not because of any problems with the athletic programs in Georgetown County.

Rather, there's a condition called "Sudden Cardiac Death" that can shock a community when a young man dies of an apparent heart attack.

Dr. John Ijem of Pawleys Island is working to educate athletes, their parents and the community about the problem.

He's doing that work with Boston Scientific, and last week threw out the first ball in a game at the Charleston RiverDogs stadium.

Drawing attention

Dr. Ijem doesn't usually go around tossing baseballs while wearing his lab coat, but that's what he did at this game in an effort to draw attention to the problem of Sudden Cardiac Death.

A native of Nigeria, Ijem said the educational initiative "Close the Gap" is designed to educate, equip and empower communities and individuals to reduce disparities for health care treatment for women, blacks and Hispanics.

In a given group of athletes, up to 19 percent could have this problem.

Average age of sudden cardiac death is 17.5 years, according to a study done by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.

Most victims -- 90 percent -- are male, Ijem said.

"Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes." The study shows that occurs most often in training situations.

The most common cause is hypotrophic cardiac myopathy (HCM), the Pawleys Island cardiologist told the Georgetown Times.

HCM causes thickening of the heart muscle.

Reducing risk

What's great about this initiative, Ijem said, is that cardiovascular testing reduces sudden cardiac deaths by 89 percent.

The testing is relatively simple. A doctor will do an echocardiogram, and ask the individual athlete questions about his family history.

By going through this test and giving information about family history, Ijem said, the screening can help identify athletes -- and any others who take the test -- and help guide a doctor in treatment.

"There are steps that do involve youth sports, that youth sports can take to prevent sudden cardiac arrhythmia."

Ijem said Boston Scientific is using several highly-respected national organizations to reach underserved populations.

They include minor league baseball teams like the Charleston RiverDogs, women's heart specialists, black coaches and administrators, NCWA member schools, the National Baptist Convention and other religious organizations.

"The cause of death between minorities and the Caucasian population is still the same," Ijem said, with heart attack still being the number one cause of death. Some 650,000 Americans die from heart disease annually, he said.

"Women and people of color are treated as less at risk than Caucasian men. We don't know exactly why," Ijem said.

"But, the Close the Gap initiative is working effectively to educate that group."

Risk factors

Ijem founded a healthcare education liaison project in Georgetown County in 2007.

"I speak in churches" and other groups and provide free medical care in the local area.

One place where he offers that care is at the Smith Medical Clinic at Pawleys Island.

"We educate them on risk factors that lead to some of these problems."

Some of the symptoms of heart disease are:

* shortness of breath

* heart palpitations

* increased heart rate

* dizziness

* nausea

* sweating.

Things to do

"Some of the heart disease risk factors that we can control include obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

"People who are smoking are told to stop, as this is a high risk behavior that can lead to heart attacks," Ijem said.

He will go to schools to talk with athletes if he's invited.

"We try to give them the warning signs, simple things to be watching out for or problems that they should be asking questions about.

"We encourage them to ask questions when they go to see their doctor."

Questions to ask

What tests should I have?

How should I monitor my risk for developing heart disease and stroke?

Ask what the results mean when they are told about it.

Also, ask point blank, Do I have a heart disease?

Athletes and others should ask the doctor for a treatment plan, or ways to lower the risk of heart disease. That would include safe weight loss and exercise.

A patient should also ask about possible side effects of any medications.

"One important heart disease risk factor ... for African Americans, high blood pressure tends to be more common and more severe. This is a major reason why African Americans die at an earlier age."

That information comes directly from the American Heart Association journal in 2007, Ijem said.

Big guys

Many athletes are big -- tall and heavy.

Ijem said if an athlete's weight "creates an obesity type of condition, if he is overweight due to his body mass index, it creates an unhealthy condition."

"We encourage them to check with their doctor" to find out what an ideal weight should be.

"The more overweight they are, they higher they are at risk for heart disease," he said.

Watch out

"Everybody should watch out for whatever their maximum heart rate should be, and work to attain 85 percent of that capacity. Don't go for 100 percent."

Trainers, coaches and fellow athletes should all watch out for one another, Ijem said.

If someone notices an athlete tiring rapidly or easily, they should stop, take care of those individuals and make sure they are OK.

Ask the questions listed above.

Minorities are the focus of the Close the Gap initiative "because they are the ones that normally don't go to a doctor. We need to focus on them when dealing with these symptoms," Ijem said.

More information

"Treatment is out there. We just have to be able to explain it to these ethnic groups so they would be a little bit more aware," Ijem said, and then seek treatment when they have problems."

For more information, call or go by to see Dr. John Ijem.

His office is at 9653 Ocean Blvd. in Pawleys Island.

His work number is (843) 235-3131.