How to Recognize ‘Athlete's Heart’

In brief

Chronic endurance exercise inbrief duces various cardiac adapta- JHHHM tions, including an enlarged left ventricular cavity and an appropriate increase in wall thickness (eccentric hypertrophy), greater ability to increase stroke volume during exercise, and bradycardia at rest. Strength athletes have thicker left ventricular walls with no increase in cavity size (concentric hypertrophy). In the past, chest x-rays and ECG have suggested some of these changes, however, echocardiograms have clearly established the syndrome of the athlete's heart. In addition, these adaptations seldom exceed the range of normal variation seen in the general population. Understanding these alterations helps distinguish healthy adaptations to exercise from signs of disease.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jere H. Mitchell

Dr Mitchell is director of the Harry S. Moss Heart Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. This article is first in a series prepared from presentations at the American Heart Association's 64th Scientific Sessions in Anaheim, California, November, 1991.