title: Athletic heart syndrome.
abstract: AHS is a benign condition consisting of physiologic adaptations to the increased cardiac work load of exercise. Its primary features are biventricular hypertrophy and bradycardia associated with normal systolic and diastolic function. In addition, the alterations in cardiac structure are related to the type of training with dynamic training causing proportionally greater dilation and static training primarily increased wall thickness. AHS is associated with abnormalities in ECG, radiograph, and echocardiographic findings. It is important to be aware of these changes so that they are not misinterpreted to represent pathologic states. In particular, the distinction between AHS and HCM can be difficult, although certain historic and echocardiographic features can help differentiate the two.
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rippe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D010807:Physical Endurance; D013177:Sports