This paper was aimed to evaluate cardiovascular function and physical fitness of athletes during active athletic life and after the cessation of physical training, and to discuss on cardiovascular future of ex-athletes. Subjects included 301 men and 64 women athletes who participated in Tokyo Olympic games. Four to 12 years' follow-up study was performed in 88 men athletes. (1) . The characteristic findings of ECG during active athletic period were sinus bradycardia, increased voltage of QRS, irbbb and first or second degree AV block. Ninety-five percents of cases with sinus bradycardia and all cases with AV block showed normal heart rate and normal AV conduction within 4 years the cessation of training. Irbbb persisted longer than other items and 60 percents of cases with irbbb had the similar findings 12 years after the cessation of training. (2) . Increased heart size observed during active athletic life returned to normal in 4 to 8 years after the cessation of training. (3) . Blood pressure was not changed before and after the cessation of training. (4) . Little changes were observed in grip strength, 12 years after the cessation of training. Although there was a slight decrease on back lift strength and ability of vertical jump 12 years after the cessation of training, they were still higher than normal. (5) . Havard step test score was obviuously decreased 12 years after the cessation of training, although it was still maintained highly than normal. From this study, it may be inferred that the effect of physical training to cardiovascular function does not persisit for a long time. On the contrary, increased muscle strength such as grip strength, back lift strength and vertical jump persist for a rather long time, once it was increased by vigorous physical training.

A rare surgical case of chronic expanding hematoma in the pericardial cavity is reported. A 78-year-old man had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting 2 years previously. He had suffered from general malaise, increasing shortness of breath and systemic edema from 18 months after the operation. Echocardiography revealed an intrapericardial mass compressing the cardiac chambers resulting in insufficiency of the ventricular expansion. Under extracardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac beating, resection of the mass and additional coronary artery surgery were implemented. The mass was encapsulated with thick fibrous membrane containing old degenerated coagula the bacterial culture of which was negative and was histopathologically diagnosed as chronic expanding hematoma. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and symptoms with cardiac failure were relieved. There has been no recurrence for more than 18 months.

The difference in cardiopulmonary response between supine exercise and sitting exercise was assessed by the following protocols.
1) Cardiopulmonary exercise testing utilizing the ramp protocol with a bicycle ergometer (20 W/min) was performed by nine healthy Japanese men (mean age, 19.9 yr) in a sitting and a supine position. Oxygen uptake, heart rate and blood pressure were measured during the test. Blood was sampled in order to measure noradrenaline (NA) and angiotensin II (ANG II) in the resting control state and immediately after exercise.
2) Single-level exercise testing at 100 W was performed on another day. The cardiac index (CI) was computed from the cardiac output, which was measured using the dye-dilution method in the resting control state and during exercise.
The results were as follows:
1) Heart rate and blood pressure during exercise had a tendency to be lower in the supine position compared to the sitting position, although not significantly.
2) Anaerobic threshold (AT) was lower in the supine position than in the sitting position exercise, (18.3±2.6 ml/kg/min and 21.7±1.9 ml/kg/min, respectively) .
3) NA and ANG II in the supine position were slightly lower than in the sitting position.
4) At rest, the CI in the sitting position was significantly less than in the supine position; however, the CI during the 100 W exercises was the same in both the supine and sitting positions.
It is concluded that blood flow to active muscle during 100W exercise is lower in the supine than in the sitting position. This is thought to be due to changes in blood redistribution and lowered blood flow to active muscle in the supine position, creating a lower AT.