Causes & Risk Factors
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Causes and risk factors
In pediatric and young adult populations, SCA is primarily due to undetected genetic conditions that can be (usually) detected with general heart screenings/examinations. These “heart screenings” typically include a physician collecting a detailed medical and family history from a patient, performing a physical examination with an emphasis on auscultation (listening) to the heart with a stethoscope, administering an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), and/or an ultrasound (echocardiogram) of the heart.
There are various conditions that can predispose a young individual to SCA. These conditions can be summarized into four main categories: heart valve disorders, cardiomyopathies and conditions that change the heart muscle, genetic disorders, and congenital heart defects.
![](https://savingheartsfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Heart-valve@1920x-300x265.png)
Heart valve disorders
![](https://savingheartsfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Cardlomyopathy@1920x-300x265.png)
Cardiomyopathy and changes in the heart muscle
![](https://savingheartsfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Genetic-disorders@1920x-300x265.png)
Genetic disorders
![](https://savingheartsfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Congental-heart@1920x-300x294.png)