Electrocardiographic evaluation in athletes: ‘Normal’ changes in the athlete's heart and benefits and disadvantages of screening

Abstract

Young athletes are considered the healthiest group in society. Although rare, there are still reports of sudden death or cardiac arrest on the playing fields. Clinical evaluation is of paramount importance for the identification of possible pathological states that confer increased risk of these events. Interpretation of the electrocardiogram of young athletes can help identify changes associated with heart disease that might preclude the participation in sports. In this context, it is essential to recognize the electrocardiographic patterns that represent the structural and electrical remodeling resulting from continued adaptation to exercise, and which thus do not increase the risk of adverse events during exercise. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have issued consensus documents summarizing which electrocardiographic abnormalities should be considered ‘physiological’, resulting from adaptation to exercise (‘athlete's heart’), and which should be considered pathological and thus require further study. However, the two societies have different approaches with respect to the electrocardiographic screening of athletes. This paper provides a brief review of current evidence regarding the electrocardiographic findings considered normal and abnormal in athletes, and presents the arguments of the ESC and AHA for electrocardiographic screening in this population.