An integrated clinical approach using athlete-specific characteristics and multimodality imaging is essential to distinguish exercise-induced cardiac remodeling from mild forms of cardiomyopathy.
Routine vigorous exercise can lead to electrical, structural, and functional adaptations that can enhance exercise performance. There are several factors that determine the type and magnitude of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling (EICR) in trained athletes. In some athletes with pronounced cardiac remodeling, there can be an overlap in morphologic features with mild forms of cardiomyopathy creating gray zone scenarios whereby distinguishing health from disease can be difficult. An integrated clinical approach that factors athlete-specific characteristics (sex, size, sport, ethnicity, and training history) and findings from multimodality imaging are essential to help make this distinction.
“Fitness does not confer immunity from cardiovascular disease; prevention and performance must coexist, with aggressive risk-factor management even in highly fit individuals.”
Danielian et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling vs cardiomyopathy. An integrated clinical approach using athlete-specific characteristics and multimodality imaging is essential to distinguish exercise-induced cardiac remodeling from mild forms of cardiomyopathy.