[Ventricular repolarization abnormalities and arrhythmia in the athlete. A long-term follow-up clinical case]

Clinical and prognostic significance of ventricular repolarization anomalies in sportsmen is still uncertain, even if they are most commonly regarded as benign. We studied a patient in whom those manifestations didn't show any progression within 30 years even after interruption of athletics and were related to idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Anatomical findings were combined with cardiac rhythm and conduction disturbances (paroxysmal atrial flutter, premature contractions, 2nd degree AV block). In our patient ventricular repolarization anomalies, even though without a negative prognosis, can't be related to "athlete's heart" but rather to organic cardiomyopathy.