What is the impact of bradycardia in athletes?

Bradycardia in athletes is often considered a normal physiological response due to the enhanced efficiency of the heart achieved through regular training. Athletes typically have a lower resting heart rate because their heart muscle becomes stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, allowing for a greater stroke volume. This means their hearts can deliver the same amount of blood with fewer beats per minute, leading to bradycardia.

In many cases, this is not indicative of any underlying heart disease, but rather a sign of the athlete's improved cardiovascular conditioning. It is important to distinguish between physiological bradycardia seen in highly trained athletes and pathological bradycardia related to medical conditions. The adaptive changes that occur in an athlete's heart can contribute to an overall lower heart rate, which is a normal adaptation to their training regimen.