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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
07:11
Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography
Published on: October 28, 2020
Left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes: morphologic features and clinical correlates
Allen E Atchley1, Pamela S Douglas
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Box 31037, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Cardiology Clinics
|October 27, 2007
Summary
The athlete's heart shows cardiac changes like increased volume and mass as a normal response to exercise. Differentiating these physiological adaptations from underlying heart disease is crucial for athlete safety.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- The athlete's heart describes cardiac adaptations to endurance and strength training.
- These changes include left ventricular hypertrophy, dilation, and atrial enlargement.
- Distinguishing physiological changes from pathological conditions is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the morphologic changes associated with the athlete's heart.
- To highlight the importance of differentiating physiological cardiac remodeling from underlying heart disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on cardiac adaptations in athletes.
- Analysis of echocardiographic and other imaging findings in trained individuals.
- Comparison of athlete cardiac parameters with normal reference ranges and disease states.
Main Results:
- Physiological cardiac remodeling in athletes often falls within normal reference ranges.
- A subset of athletes exhibits measurements considered "abnormal" when compared to sedentary populations.
- These "abnormal" findings may indicate underlying structural heart disease.
Conclusions:
- The athlete's heart encompasses a spectrum of cardiac structural changes due to exercise.
- Accurate differentiation between physiological and pathological cardiac findings is critical for risk stratification.
- Misdiagnosis can lead to significant morbidity, mortality, and sudden cardiac death during exertion.
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