Absence of cardiac damage induced by long-term intensive endurance exercise training: A cardiac magnetic resonance and exercise echocardiography analysis in masters athletes

Abstract

Highlights • Endurance long-term high level of training induces significant cardiac remodelling involving all cardiac chambers, also known as ‘athletes-heart”.• Both left and right ventricular longitudinal strain increases significantly at exercise.• Cardiac extracellular volume is normal in master athletes and there is no evidence of cardiac fibrosis induced by long term endurance training in master athletes.• There is no evidence of cardiac damage induced by intensive endurance training in healthy asymptomatic master athletes.