Overview
This entry (Orphanet code 217601) is now classified as OBSOLETE, meaning it is no longer considered a distinct disease in medical databases. It was originally used to describe heart changes that look like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) but are caused by intense athletic training rather than by a genetic heart condition. In highly trained athletes, the heart can naturally adapt to heavy exercise by thickening its walls and enlarging its chambers — a condition commonly called 'athlete's heart.' In some cases, this thickening can mimic true hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on imaging tests like echocardiograms, which led to confusion and sometimes misdiagnosis. It is now well understood that athlete's heart is a normal, reversible adaptation to exercise and is NOT a disease. When an athlete reduces or stops intense training, the heart typically returns to a more normal size and thickness over weeks to months. This is a key difference from true genetic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, where the thickening does not go away with rest and can lead to dangerous heart rhythms, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death. Because this condition is not actually a disease but rather a normal physiological response, the entry has been retired. The important clinical challenge remains distinguishing athlete's heart from true hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a genetic condition requiring ongoing monitoring and treatment. If you or a loved one has been told you have thickening of the heart muscle, it is important to see a cardiologist experienced in sports cardiology to determine whether the changes are a normal response to exercise or a sign of an underlying heart condition.
Key symptoms:
Thickened heart muscle walls seen on imagingUsually no symptoms at allOccasional awareness of a slow or strong heartbeatHeart changes that reverse when training stops
Adult
Begins in adulthood (age 18 or older)
Treatments
No FDA-approved treatments are currently listed for OBSOLETE: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to intensive athletic training.
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Specialists
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Treatment Centers
8 centersBaylor College of Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🏥 NORDStanford Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Stanford Medicine
📍 Stanford, CA
🔬 UDNNIH Clinical Center Undiagnosed Diseases Program ↗
National Institutes of Health
📍 Bethesda, MD
🔬 UDNUCLA UDN Clinical Site ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
🔬 UDNBaylor College of Medicine UDN Clinical Site ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🔬 UDNHarvard/MGH UDN Clinical Site ↗
Massachusetts General Hospital
📍 Boston, MA
🏥 NORDMayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine ↗
Mayo Clinic
📍 Rochester, MN
👤 Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
🏥 NORDUCLA Rare Disease Day Program ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
Travel Grants
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Questions for your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment
- Q1.How can you tell if my heart changes are from exercise or from a genetic heart condition?,Do I need to stop training, and if so, for how long?,Should I have genetic testing to rule out hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?,Is there anyone in my family who should also be screened?,What warning signs should I watch for during exercise?,When can I safely return to full training and competition?,Will I need ongoing heart monitoring in the future?
Common questions about OBSOLETE: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to intensive athletic training
What is OBSOLETE: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to intensive athletic training?
This entry (Orphanet code 217601) is now classified as OBSOLETE, meaning it is no longer considered a distinct disease in medical databases. It was originally used to describe heart changes that look like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) but are caused by intense athletic training rather than by a genetic heart condition. In highly trained athletes, the heart can naturally adapt to heavy exercise by thickening its walls and enlarging its chambers — a condition commonly called 'athlete's heart.' In some cases, this thickening can mimic true hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on imaging tests like ech
At what age does OBSOLETE: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to intensive athletic training typically begin?
Typical onset of OBSOLETE: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to intensive athletic training is adult. Age of onset can vary across affected individuals.