Open AccessThe Impact of Ethnicity on Cardiac Adaptation
Author(s) -
Uchenna Ozo,
Sanjay Sharma
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
european cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1758-3764
pISSN - 1758-3756
DOI - 10.15420/ecr.2020.01
Subject(s) - ethnic group , bradycardia , athletes , cardiology , medicine , stroke volume , sudden cardiac death , adaptation (eye) , heart rate , psychology , physical therapy , blood pressure , neuroscience , political science , law
Regular intensive exercise is associated with a plethora of electrical, structural and functional adaptations within the heart to promote a prolonged and sustained increase in cardiac output. Bradycardia, increased cardiac dimensions, enhanced ventricular filling, augmentation of stroke volume and high peak oxygen consumption are recognised features of the athlete’s heart. The type and magnitude of these adaptations to physical exercise are governed by age, sex, ethnicity, sporting discipline and intensity of sport. Some athletes, particularly those of African or Afro-Caribbean (black) origin reveal changes that overlap with diseases implicated in sudden cardiac death. In such instances, erroneous interpretation has potentially serious consequences ranging from unfair disqualification to false reassurance. This article focuses on ethnic variation in the physiological cardiac adaption to exercise.