Left ventricular function and perfusion in elderly endurance athletes

Purpose: To study the extent to which lifelong physical training can affect cardiovascular capacity, left ventricular function, and myocardial perfusi on in elderly men. Methods and Results: Ten healthy male veteran endurance athletes aged 73 +/- 3 yr (mean +/- SD) and a control group of 12 sedentary or moderately physically active healthy subjects aged 75 +/- 2 yr were stu died. Echocardiographic examinations at rest and exercise stress tests were performed. Gated blood pool scans and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy we re recorded at rest and during exercise. Maximal (V) over dot O-2 was 41 +/ - 7 mL.kg(-1).min(-1) in the athletes and 26 +/- 5 mL.kg(-1).min(-1) in the controls (P < 0.001). Echocardiographic measures of systolic and diastolic function st rest were better in the athletes. The ejection fi action durin g exercise was also higher in the athletes (P = 0.003). Seven of the 10 ath letes, but none of the controls, had pathological myocardial perfusion find ings. Conclusions: By endurance training, a high level of physical capacity can be maintained late in life. The superior cardiovascular function in th e veteran athletes, compared with the untrained controls was due to both be tter systolic and diastolic left ventricular function. Myocardial perfusion defects in athletes should be judged with caution, as this finding is comm on both in veteran athletes acid as previously shown, in young athletes.