Video games can trigger heart attacks in children

A study has found that video games can trigger heart attacks in children who have undiagnosed cardiac issues. The findings are published in the journal Heart Rhythm.

Undiagnosed heart issues were previously linked to sudden deaths of people playing sports, but a link has now been seen for computer games as well.

According to scientists, the excitement, adrenaline, and emotional investment while playing action video games can cause a heart attack in children.

Some children are reportedly born with an irregular heartbeat known as cardiac arrhythmia. Experts state that this condition may never be detected unless it is checked via a scan.

About two million people in the UK live with arrhythmia while leading relatively normal lives. However, a flare-up can occur at any point and this could lead to loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, and possibly even death, The Telegraph informs.

Dr Claire Lawley, the study’s lead investigator is reported to have said, “Video games may represent a serious risk to some children with arrhythmic conditions. They might be lethal in patients with predisposing, but often previously unrecognised arrhythmic conditions.

“Children who suddenly lose consciousness while electronic gaming should be assessed by a heart specialist as this could be the first sign of a serious heart problem.”

The link between video games and cardiac issues was apparently discovered after looking at data from different studies at the Research from the Heart Centre for Children in Sydney.

The analysis identified 22 cases where video games triggered a loss of consciousness in children and multi-player war games were observed to be the most common video game played at the time the incidents reportedly occurred.

Researchers are of the opinion that the dormant underlying heart condition gets triggered by the rush of adrenaline when children engage in intense games such as video war games.

Researchers also believe that due to the emotional investment in the game, especially after winning or losing, vulnerable children are particularly in danger of experiencing cardiac issues.

Therefore, scientists now want those children with a history of blacking out while playing video games to get checked for potential heart issues as it could be an early warning sign.

Christian Turner, the study’s co-author is quoted as saying, “We already know that some children have heart conditions that can put them at risk when playing competitive sports, but we were shocked to discover that some patients were having life-threatening blackouts during video gaming.”

He adds, “Video gaming was something I previously thought would be an alternative ‘safe activity’. This is a really important discovery. We need to ensure everyone knows how important it is to get checked out when someone has had a blacking-out episode in these circumstances.”

In some cases, the examination of a child who lost consciousness while playing video games also led to many family members being diagnosed with a life-threatening heart rhythm problem.

Commenting about the seriousness of the situation, Dr Lawley said, “Families and healthcare teams should think about safety precautions around electronic gaming in children who have a condition where dangerous fast heart rhythms are a risk.”

Additionally, Dr Jonathan Skinner, the study’s co-author reportedly said that he was “staggered” to see how widespread the issue is and that it has led to the death of some children.

He affirms, “All of the collaborators are keen to publicise this phenomenon so our colleagues across the globe can recognise it and protect these children and their families.”