Pathological and physiological left ventricular hypertrophy: echocardiography for differentiation.

Distinguishing physiological left ventricular hypertrophy of an athlete’s heart from that of pathological left ventricular (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) can be difficult despite the advent of new imaging techniques. Nevertheless, the final diagnosis is of utmost importance as it will have a profound impact on an individual’s life. A diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy essentially excludes an individual from sport and strenuous exertion and necessitates the need for further tests and treatment, as well as the screening of family members. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy remains the most common cause of a pathologically hypertrophied heart in young athletes, with a prevalence of one in 500. The issue of sudden death in athletes due to pathological left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has recently gained recognition owing to the death of several word class athletes during sporting participation. What compounds this further is the fact that a proportion of athletes fall into the ‘grey ...