Original scientific paper
Valvular Heart Disease in Professional Dubrovnik’s Water Polo Players
Antun Car
; Opća bolnica Dubrovnik
Abstract
In the specimen of the 17 professional water polo players I measured the structure, systolic and diastolic heart function and the condition of the valves. Water polo players belong to Dubrovnik’s professional sportsmen. At two of them I have found mild aortic insufficiency with normal systolic function, without the dilatation of the ascending aorta and with the acceptable measures of the left ventricle, so they can participate in water polo matches with the annually performed echo of the heart. These controls can prevent worsening of the aortic insufficiency and complications. Water polo players through the intensive trainings usually develop thickness of the left ventricle wall. Morphologic adaptations of the water polo players heart, can closely resemble certain cardiovascular disease and lead to the differential diagnosis of HCM which is considered to be the reason for the most frequent no traumatic deaths among young sportsmen in USA. Among 17 Dubrovnik’s water polo players we didn’t find morphologic changes connected with the HCM. Focal hypertrophy of the basal anterior septum occurs not infrequently in elderly patients. Septal bulge is a very rarely finding among the young sportsmen. In this study septal bulge has been found in only one water-polo player who was hypertensive, his hypertension being controlled by lifestyle modification and drug therapy.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
89784
URI
Publication date:
31.10.2012.
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