Most echo reference values were not compared to patient outcomes. Most reference values we found were not partitioned at all. It was one size fits all, which simply cannot be accurate. Sex The impact of sex on heart size and measurements is well known. Autopsy data, x-ray studies, and MUGA studies show smaller heart size in women compared to men.
Studies show larger heart size in men even after accounting for differences in body size.
In other words, men's hearts are usually bigger in relation to their body size than women's hearts. Race There may be racial differences in actual heart structure in healthy people. However, it has not been studied. Whether to have separate echo reference values for the elderly is complicated. We really can't tell which physical changes are caused just by aging and which are caused by heart-related conditions like high blood pressure.