Background .– The cardiac consequences of aging and extensive athletic activity in men over the age of 50 years are unknown.

Aims .– We intend to describe the adaptation of the myocardium in men < 35 and ≥ 50 years of age, in athletes and sedentary.

Methods .– We prospectively analyzed the sub-maximal exercise stress echocardiography of 59 athletes and 16 sedentary healthy controls both ≥ 50 years of age and, 18 athletes and 27 sedentary healthy young subjects, both < 35 years of age. All subjects underwent a resting and a sub-maximal exercise echocardiography in order to measure left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions at 2 different hemodynamic conditions.

Results .– The young 2 groups were non-different except for their exercise practice that was also the case for the 2 elderly groups. The left ventricular (LV) mass was higher in young athletes ( P < 0.01) than in elderly athletes ( P < 0.001). These two groups of athletes had higher LV mass than the sedentaries. LV volumes were higher in athletes than in sedentaries ( P < 0.05), but less enlarged in elders. The stroke volume, the global longitudinal strain (GLS) were superior during exercise in athletes (GLS: elderly athletes: −20.0 ± 2.4%, young athletes: −22,1 ± 2.1%, elderly sendaries: −19.2 ± 3.4%, young sedentaries: −20.2 ± 2.4%, P < 0.05). In regard to LV-relaxation, the e’ velocities recorded in the mitral annulus (septal and lateral sides) were higher at rest and during exercise in young people ( P < 0.01) than in elders.

Conclusion .– The myocardial adaptation (systolic and diastolic) to the intensive exercise training were founded in young athletes but were much weaker in elders.