Playing video games can lead to potentially life-threatening heart problems in susceptible children, a new study has found. Electronic video games may trigger cardiac arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, and hence, are not always a safe alternative to sports for children who have a condition in which dangerous fast heart rhythms are a risk.
The study, led by Claire M Lawley from The Health Center for Children, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Australia, was recently published in the journal Heart Rhythm. An uncommon but distinct pattern was observed among children who lose consciousness while playing video games.
Children may lose consciousness while playing video games
The researchers performed a systematic review of literature and initiated a multisite international outreach effort to identify cases of children with sudden loss of consciousness while playing video games. The researchers found 22 cases of children who lost consciousness while playing video games. Of these cases, multiplayer war gaming was the most frequent trigger. The diagnoses of several heart rhythm conditions put the children at continuing risk. In some cases, children died after a cardiac arrest.
Why do some children lose consciousness during electronic gaming?
According to the study, there was a high incidence of potentially relevant genetic variants among the patients. The family members of all the patients were tested, and it was observed that in some cases, the kin of children who lost consciousness while playing video games had heart rhythm problems.
The study said that adrenergic (relating to adrenaline) stimulation related to the emotionally charged electronic gaming environment formed the pathological basis for the arrhythmias. Therefore, electronic gaming is not always the safe alternative to competitive sports. Many of the patients were in excited states at the time of the cardiac incidents because they had either won or lost games, or were engaging in conflict with companions.
Losing consciousness while playing video games is not a common occurrence, but it is becoming more prevalent, the study said.
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