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Published on: May 13, 2019
Transient right but not left ventricular dysfunction after strenuous exercise at high altitude
V G Dávila-Román1, T M Guest, P G Tuteur
1Cardiovascular, Laboratory Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Prolonged strenuous exercise in ultramarathon runners did not cause left ventricular damage. However, some athletes experienced reversible right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension at high altitude.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Strenuous exercise may lead to left ventricular (LV) damage.
- Ultramarathon running at high altitude presents unique physiological challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential left ventricular (LV) damage in ultramarathon runners after prolonged exercise.
- To assess cardiac function and biomarkers in response to high-altitude ultramarathon running.
Main Methods:
- 14 ultramarathon runners underwent echocardiography, oximetry, and cardiac biomarker (troponin I, CK-MB) measurements.
- Measurements were taken before, immediately after, and 1 day post-race.
- Evaluated left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function, pulmonary artery pressure, and cardiac enzymes.
Main Results:
- No evidence of left ventricular (LV) damage was found in any runner.
- Elevated creatine kinase, MB fraction (CK-MB) levels were observed in all runners post-race.
- Five runners (36%) exhibited transient right ventricular (RV) dilation, hypokinesia, pulmonary hypertension, and wheezing.
Conclusions:
- High-altitude ultramarathon running did not induce left ventricular (LV) damage in trained athletes.
- Reversible right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension occurred in a significant portion of participants.
- The exact incidence and underlying mechanisms of these RV-related findings require further investigation.
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