Echocardiographic Features of Cardiac Fatigue

Background: Little information is available regarding the effects of strenuous exercise on cardiac function. Objective: We evaluated the effect of severe prolong exercise on ventricular performance. Methods: Army rangers were invited to participate in this study. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography using tissue Doppler imaging. Results: A total of 45 consecutive male rangers who completed ranger training program were included in this study. Peak systolic myocardial velocity (S) decreased significantly after training (12.46?±?0.54 vs. 9.93?±?0.45 cm/s; P < 0.001). In the right ventricle, tissue Doppler measures of systolic and early diastolic function decreased significantly after training. Conclusion: In conclusion, strenuous prolonged exercise may result in depressed left ventricular contractile function.