athlete's bradycardia
Physiological slow heart rate in trained athletes, typically below 60 bpm at rest, resulting from enhanced parasympathetic tone.
Full Definition
Athlete's bradycardia is a benign adaptation to regular endurance training characterized by resting heart rates typically below 60 beats per minute, sometimes as low as 30-40 bpm in elite athletes. This condition results from increased parasympathetic tone and decreased sympathetic activity, representing an adaptive response to chronic exercise training. In sports cardiology evaluation, distinguishing physiological athlete's bradycardia from pathological causes such as sick sinus syndrome or atrioventricular blocks is essential. The bradycardia should be asymptomatic and associated with normal exercise capacity and appropriate heart rate response to activity.
Usage
Usage note: Use apostrophe in 'athlete's'; distinguish from general bradycardia in clinical documentation.
In Context
- "The cyclist's resting heart rate of 45 bpm was consistent with athlete's bradycardia rather than pathological conduction abnormality." — Sports medicine consultation
- "Athlete's bradycardia must be differentiated from pathological bradyarrhythmias during preparticipation screening." — Clinical assessment protocol