Sports and congenital cardiopathies]

The authors give recommendations regarding the eligibility to sport practice of children with cardiovascular abnormalities. Exercise testing is important to determine the consequences of the cardiovascular abnormality on the child's physical ability. Echocardiography with Doppler ultrasound is essential in order to assess the repercussion of valvulopathies, particularly on the function of the left ventricle. Holter electrocardiographic recording is useful in the case of a history of malaises or syncopes. These investigations allow those children who are at risk of cardiac accidents during sport practice to be recognised, and to choose the sport which is the most appropriate to their individual condition. There are few complete contra indications to all types of sports, essentially obstructive myocardiopathy, primary pulmonary hypertension, severe aortic stenosis, and coronary abnormality.