Abstract

The anatomical, functional and clinical features of athletes heart are discussed in the light of recent advances and personal experience. The morphological features of the increase in heart size brought about by physiological adaptation, particularly endurance sports, are described. Physiological hypertrophy and tonic dilatation of the heart cavities are the main aspects of the picture. These changes in the trained heart can currently be demonstrated echocardiographically with regard to both their extent and their kinetic aspects. From the functional standpoint, the key features are an increase in systolic stroke volume and bradycardia. The mechanisms regulating heart activity are described. They are linked to the increase in resting vagaltone and the decrease in sympathetic tone during physical exercise. Lastly, anaccount is given of the clinical features of athletes heart. Physiological changes may, in fact, simulate heart disease. It is thus essential to understand the morphological and functional changes bywhich these adaptations makethemselves evident, so that diagnostic errors and both useless and dangerous invasive examinations can be avoided. Verf.-Referat