The heart is a muscle. So, it needs its own blood and oxygen supply in order to perform its job as a pump for the rest of the body. Blood with oxygen is supplied by two blood vessels called coronary arteries that arise from the large blood vessel called the aorta. A “heart attack” (myocardial infarction) is caused by a significant “blockage” in one of these coronary arteries. These blockages are from coronary artery disease, or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is extremely rare in children and young adults, except in cases of severely elevated cholesterol or rare inherited diseases.

Anomalous coronary arteries are those that arise from the aorta in an abnormal fashion. In some cases, this abnormality can lead to decreased blood and oxygen supply to the heart muscle, similar to a heart attack. This decrease in blood supply is more likely to happen with exercise, when the heart muscle needs more oxygen. When this occurs, it can be similar to a myocardial infarction and lead to an abnormal rhythm and cardiac arrest.

Anomalous coronary arteries, when identified appropriately, can be corrected with surgery if needed. Athletes are expected to be able to return to sports in the future after surgery.