EFFECTS OF CHRONIC OVERLOAD TRAINING AND AGING ON LEFT-VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC FUNCTION

To examine the effects of age and chronic overload training on left ve ntricular systolic function during static exercise, Doppler echocardio graphy studies were performed in 14 young (28 +/- 6 years) and 10 olde r (51 +/- 3 years) weight lifters and also in 14 young (29 +/- 6 years ) and 10 older (52 +/- 1.1 years) normal individuals during upright de ad-lift isometric exercise, at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction fo r 3 min. At rest, older weight lifters demonstrated impaired left vent ricular systolic function as compared with the other three groups. Dur ing exercise, peak and mean velocity values increased significantly (p < 0.05) from resting values in the young groups, but remained unchang ed in the older groups, Flow period and acceleration and deceleration times were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the younger subjects than those observed for the old ones, with the highest (p < 0.05) values o btained by the old weight lifters. This study suggests that the differ ences between the groups are related to differences in impedance and n ot to fundamental changes in the properties of the myocardium.