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Murine Echocardiography of Left Atrium, Aorta, and Pulmonary Artery
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Murine Echocardiography of Left Atrium, Aorta, and Pulmonary Artery

Published on: February 20, 2017

Left ventricular contractile function is preserved during prolonged exercise in middle-aged men.

Jack M Goodman1, Gian-Marco Busato, Elizabeth Frey

  • 1University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2W6. jack.goodman@utoronto.ca

Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|November 28, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Prolonged exercise initially enhances left ventricular (LV) function, but prolonged exertion leads to reduced stroke volume (SV) due to decreased preload. Recovery shows depressed LV strain, suggesting impaired contractility post-exercise.

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Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function using 3D Echocardiography
06:34

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function using 3D Echocardiography

Published on: October 28, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Sports Medicine

Background:

  • Understanding the impact of prolonged exercise on cardiac function is crucial for athletes and clinicians.
  • Left ventricular (LV) performance may be altered by sustained physical exertion, affecting stroke volume (SV) and myocardial contractility.
  • Investigating these changes is important for optimizing training and recovery protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate left ventricular (LV) performance, including myocardial strain and strain rate, ejection fraction (EF), and volumes, before, during, and after 120 minutes of cycling exercise.
  • To assess the influence of prolonged exercise on stroke volume (SV), cardiac output, and hemodynamic parameters.
  • To determine if observed changes in LV function during and after exercise are related to preload, afterload, or intrinsic contractility.

Main Methods:

  • 12 healthy middle-aged men performed 120 minutes of cycling at 65% VO2max.
  • Two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO) with tissue Doppler was used to measure LV longitudinal strain, strain rate, EF, EDV, and ESV.
  • Measurements were taken at baseline, during exercise (5, 30, 120 min), and after 30 min of recovery.
  • Hematocrit and plasma norepinephrine (NE) were also measured.

Main Results:

  • Early exercise (5 min) increased LV longitudinal strain, strain rate, and EF, while SV, EDV, and ESV remained constant.
  • After 120 min of exercise, SV, cardiac output, and blood pressure decreased, accompanied by increased heart rate and NE, without changes in strain or strain rate.
  • A significant reduction in body mass and hemoconcentration occurred despite fluid intake, suggesting dehydration.
  • Post-exercise, LV longitudinal strain was depressed compared to baseline, indicating impaired contractility during recovery.

Conclusions:

  • Prolonged exercise initially improves LV systolic function, but sustained exertion leads to reduced SV likely due to decreased LV preload.
  • The reduction in LV contractility observed during the recovery period may be influenced by factors specific to recovery and does not appear to impair SV during the exercise bout itself.
  • These findings highlight the complex adaptations of the left ventricle to prolonged exercise and recovery.