Athlete's heart

Abstract

The athlete's heart is a set of morphological and functional characteristics that develop over time due to sports training. These adaptive changes result in increase in cardiac work efficiency and economy. They are manidested as cardiac muscle hypertrophy and dilation, with accompanying angiogenesis and slower heart rate, that are influenced by variable regulatory systems and genetic predisposition. The problem o f sudden cardiac death in athletes, which persists despite numerous activities aimed at prevention, creates the need for a better definition of the athlete's heart, especially in terms of its differentiation from certain pathological conditions. This is of particular importance in the context of cardiac electrical activity. Right heart adaptations, hormonal regulatory mechanisms and the effects of nonphysiological adaptations during training, that may lead to pathologic alterations direction, are all relevant in the investigation of adverse cardiac events in athletes. In order to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes, it is necessary to examine competitive athletes as well as apparently health individuals who recreationally exercise at a high volume. There are guidelines for mass screening and individual examinations, for all age groups and both genders, as well as for public service staff who require intense physical activity during their occupation. Both American and Eu ropean recommendations require a detailed anamnesis and physical examination, whereas European, apart from that, require initial electrocardiography. The implementation of additional tests is necessary if the existence of any underlying pathophysiologic process is suspected. Checks should be performed before engaging in sports activities, as well as during training and competition periods.

Keywords

• morpho-functional changes
• sudden cardiac death
• prevention
• recommendations