Features Distinguishing Athlete's Heart From Cardiomyopathy
Feature | Athlete’s Heart | Cardiomyopathy |
|---|---|---|
Left ventricular septal thickness* | In males, < 13 mm In females, < 11 mm | In males, > 15 mm In females, > 13 mm |
Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter† | < 60 mm | > 70 mm |
Diastolic function | Normal (E:A ratio > 1‡) | Abnormal (E:A ratio < 1) |
Septal hypertrophy | Symmetric | Asymmetric (in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) |
Family history | None | May be present |
Blood pressure response to exercise | Normal | Normal or reduced systolic blood pressure response |
Deconditioning | Left ventricular hypertrophy regression | No left ventricular hypertrophy regression |
* A value of 13 to 15 mm in men and 11 to 13 mm in women is indeterminate. | ||
† A value of 60 to 70 mm is indeterminate. | ||
‡ E:A ratio = ratio of early to late atrial transmitral flow velocity. | ||