| Athlete’s Heart is a term used to refer to the physiological changes that take place as the heart adapts to regular exercise over a period of time. |
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| Athletes are individuals who engage in regular exercise of sufficient intensity and duration, usually of a competitive nature. Adaptations occur in the heart and circulation which enable the body to achieve the same level of exercise with increased efficiency. |
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Some of these adaptations include:
- Lower resting heart rate
- Increase in heart chamber size
- Increase in volume of blood ejected with each heart beat
- Increase in thickness of the heart muscle
- Increased extraction of oxygen from blood by the muscles
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Some of these adaptations may cause abnormalities on the ECG which mimic conditions like Sick Sinus Syndrome, Heart Block or Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It is necessary to consult a cardiologist in these cases. |
