A large review of 21 different studies looked at the heart health of over 9,000 elite athletes compared to about 2,600 healthy people who were not athletes. The researchers specifically measured the diameter of the aorta, which is the main artery carrying blood from the heart.
The results showed that elite athletes had larger absolute measurements for this artery than non-athletes. However, when the researchers adjusted those numbers based on the athlete's body surface area, the difference between the two groups disappeared. This means the size of the artery was related to the person's overall size rather than just their athletic status.
Because these differences can disappear when properly calculated, doctors should use specific methods when measuring heart health in athletes. This helps ensure that a larger artery is correctly identified as a result of body size rather than a medical condition. These findings are helpful for ensuring accurate diagnoses in high-level sports.