Echocardiographic results in female athletes, nonathletic women and patients with arterial hypertension
Schmid, P.; Simon, G.; Dickhuth, H.H.; Keul, J.
Herz 4(5): 438-443
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0340-9937 PMID: 521000 Document Number: 153760
Echocardiographic studies and radiological measurements of heart volume were performed in 30 female track athletes, 17 female shot-putters or javelin throwers, 12 nonathletic women and 8 female patients with arterial hypertension. The following observations were made: The hearts of the female athletes undergoing endurance training were in the whole larger than the hearts of the nonathletic women, although the ratio of internal diameter to wall thickness was unchanged. There was a relative increase in the ratio wall thickness to internal left ventricular diameter in the female shot-putters and javelin throwers compared to the nonathletic females. This is interpreted as being a result of the static training imployed. In all female patients with severe arterial hypertension the heart wall thickness was increased, the internal heart diameter was dependant of the stage of the illness. Using echocardiography it is possible to draw conclusions as to the ratio wall thickness to cavity diameter. This is not possible with radiological heart volume studies.