[Electrophysiological characteristics of the athlete's heart].
BACKGROUND
The athletic heart syndrome is characterized by morphological, functional and electrophysiological alterations as an adaptive response to vigorous physical activity. Athletes heart is predominantly associated with a programmed, intensive training. But as there are different kinds of physical activities, the degree of these changes is highly variable. ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ATHLETE'S HEART: The response of the body to vigorous physical activity is a multiorgan system phenomenon. The integrated functioning of each of these organ systems is very important, but the cardiovascular system plays a critical role in mediating the activity. Because of that, most changes in the neurohumoral regulation predominantly affect the cardiovascular system. These changes include: depression of sympathetic activity and stimulation of parasympathetic activity, so electrophysiological characteristics of the athlete's heart must differ from the sedentary Although these facts, are well known, the athlete's heart is not a precisely defined concept. It is a gray zone between physiology, and pathology.


CONCLUSIONS
Considering the number of sudden cardiac deaths in athletes, it is needless to say how important it is to distinguish physiological changes of the heart due to physical activity, and pathological changes due to some cardiac diseases.
Popović
Dejana
D
Institut za fiziologiju, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd. dejana01@eunet.yu
Brkić
Predrag
P
Nesić
Dejan
D
Stojiljković
Stanimir
S
Sćepanović
Ljiljana
L
Ostojić
Miodrag C
MC
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D013177:Sports; D013577:Syndrome