ESPN's Scott Van Pelt has 'medical scare', says 'heart got a little out of whack'
ESPN's Scott Van Pelt announced during Monday's CFP national championship that he would not take his normal postgame "SportsCenter" anchor chair, citing a "medical scare."
The longtime "SportsCenter" host made the announcement on Twitter that his "heart got a little out of whack," but that he's "fine now" and home from the hospital.
Bummed to miss one of my favorite shows of the year, but happy to be ok and home after a bit of a medical scare this afternoon. Thanks to @SuburbanHosp @CJPVFD for looking after me.
Heart got a little out of whack, (SVT) which was pretty spooky, but fine now.— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) January 11, 2022
Van Pelt referenced "SVT," which is short for supraventricular tachycardia, according to the Mayo Clinic. It defines the condition as "an abnormally fast or erratic heartbeat that affects the heart's upper chambers."
Per the Mayo Clinic:
"A normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute. A heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute is called a tachycardia. During an episode of SVT, your heart beats about 150 to 220 times per minute, but it can occasionally beat faster or slower.
"Most people with supraventricular tachycardia live healthy lives without restrictions or treatment. For others, lifestyle changes, medication and heart procedures may be needed to control or eliminate the rapid heartbeats and related symptoms."
Neither Van Pelt nor ESPN immediately provided further details on his condition or recovery timeline. John Anderson and Michael Eaves ran "SportsCenter" instead after Georgia beat Alabama to win their first championship since 1980. They didn't immediately mention Van Pelt's absence.
Van Pelt, 55, is ESPN's highest-profile "SportsCenter" host with his own branded edition of the show that airs late night and immediately after primetime events like Monday's college football national championship. He's also been a regular contributor to "College GameDay" and on ESPN Radio. He's a fan favorite known for his gambling "Bad Beat" segments and Masters coverage. Van Pelt has worked at ESPN since 2001.
