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D’Ascenzi F, Fiorentini C, Anselmi F, Mondillo S. Left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes: How to differentiate between hypertensive heart disease and athlete’s heart. Eur J Prev Cardiol 2020; 28:1125-1133. [PMID: 33611377 DOI: 10.1177/2047487320911850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Athlete’s heart is typically accompanied by a remodelling of the cardiac chambers induced by exercise. However, although competitive athletes are commonly considered healthy, they can be affected by cardiac disorders characterised by an increase in left ventricular mass and wall thickness, such as hypertension. Unfortunately, training-induced increase in left ventricular mass, wall thickness, and atrial and ventricular dilatation observed in competitive athletes may mimic the pathological remodelling of pathological hypertrophy. As a consequence, distinguishing between athlete’s heart and hypertension can sometimes be challenging. The present review aimed to focus on the differential diagnosis between hypertensive heart disease and athlete’s heart, providing clinical information useful to distinguish between physiological and pathological remodelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio D’Ascenzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Italy
| | | | | | - Sergio Mondillo
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Italy
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