What term describes a thickening of the heart muscle in an enlarged heart?
An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) means that your heart is bigger than normal. Your heart can become enlarged if the muscle works so hard that it thickens, or if the chambers dilate. Show
An enlarged heart isn’t a disease. It’s a symptom of a heart defect or condition that makes the heart work harder, such as:
An enlarged heart can’t pump blood as efficiently as a heart that’s not enlarged. This can lead to complications like stroke and heart failure. Share on PinterestEnlarged heart compared to a healthy heart. Cristie Wilson. How does having an enlarged heart affect your body and health?Researchtells us that having an enlarged heart is often a sign that you have a serious heart condition that needs treatment. Without treatment for the underlying cause, your health and even your life may be at risk. Since many people with an enlarged heart do not have any symptoms, it’s possible they won’t know that anything is wrong. In fact, some people don’t learn they have an enlarged heart until a doctor orders imaging tests to get a closer look at their heart. Regardless of whether you know you have an enlarged heart, it does affect your body. When you have an enlarged heart, it means that your heart — or part of your heart — has gotten thicker or stretched out. That makes it harder for your heart to pump blood efficiently throughout your body. As a result, you may eventually find it harder to function normally. You may experience fatigue and shortness of breath, or other effects. You may also develop edema (swelling) because your heart’s inefficient pumping allows blood to flow backward and collect in the arms or legs, or even the abdomen or face. There can be other effects on your body, too. When you have cardiomegaly, you’re more susceptible to developing blood clots in the lining of your heart. If a blood clot breaks off and makes its way to your bloodstream, it could cause you to have a stroke. You may also develop an irregular heart rhythm. What are the symptoms?Sometimes an enlarged heart doesn’t cause any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can include:
Symptoms that indicate a medical emergency include:
Causes of an enlarged heartYour heart can enlarge because of a condition you’re born with — called a congenital condition — or a heart problem that develops over time. Any disease that makes your heart work harder to pump blood through your body can cause an enlarged heart. Just as the muscles of your arms and legs get bigger when you work them, your heart gets bigger when it works harder. Increased pressures in the heart can also cause chamber dilation. The of an enlarged heart are ischemic heart disease and high blood pressure. Ischemic heart disease occurs when narrowed arteries, caused by fatty deposits that build up in your arteries, prevent blood from getting to your heart. Other conditions that can make your heart enlarge include: CardiomyopathyCardiomyopathy is a progressive heart disease with several types. Diseases that damage the heart muscle can cause it to enlarge. The more damage that occurs, the weaker and less able to pump the heart becomes. Heart valve diseaseInfections, connective tissue diseases, and some medications can damage the valves that keep blood flowing in the right direction through your heart. When blood flows backward, the heart has to work harder to push it out. Heart attackDuring a heart attack, blood flow to part of the heart is blocked completely. The lack of oxygen-rich blood damages the heart muscle. Thyroid diseaseThe thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism. Both overproduction (hyperthyroidism) and underproduction (hypothyroidism) of these hormones can affect the heart rate, blood pressure, and size of the heart. Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia)If you have an irregular heart rhythm, instead of beating in its familiar pattern, the heart flutters or beats too slowly or too quickly. An irregular heart rhythm can cause blood to back up in the heart and eventually damage the muscle. Congenital conditionsCongenital cardiomegaly is a heart disorder you’re born with. Congenital heart defects that cause this symptom include:
Other causesOther possible causes of an enlarged heart include:
Who is at increased risk?You’re more likely to get cardiomegaly if you’re at risk of heart diseases. The following conditions can increase your risk:
How is it diagnosed?Your doctor will start with a physical exam and discuss your symptoms with you. A number of different tests can check the structure and function of your heart. A chest X-ray may be the first test your doctor orders because it can show whether your heart is enlarged. Tests like the following can help your doctor find the cause of the enlargement:
In pregnancyDuring pregnancy, doctors can use a test called a fetal echocardiogram to diagnose heart defects in the unborn baby. This test uses sound waves to create pictures of the baby’s heart. Your doctor might recommend a fetal echocardiogram if you have a family history of cardiomegaly or heart defects, or if your baby has a genetic disorder like Down syndrome. How is an enlarged heart treated?Your doctor will prescribe a treatment plan for the condition that’s causing your enlarged heart. For example:
Other procedures can fix congenital heart defects. If you try a few treatments and they don’t work, you may need a heart transplant. Lifestyle changesYou can manage an enlarged heart with lifestyle changes like these:
What are the possible complications?The conditions that cause cardiomegaly can damage the heart muscle. They can lead to complications if left untreated, such as:
How can you prevent this condition?You may not be able to prevent conditions that occur before birth. But you can prevent later damage to your heart that can make it enlarge by:
Also see a doctor for regular checkups to make sure your heart is healthy. If you have a heart problem, you might also need to see a cardiologist. What’s the outlook?Your outlook depends on the underlying cause of your enlarged heart. Following the treatment plan your doctor recommends can help keep your heart healthy and prevent any complications. What is the medical term for an enlargement of the heart?Cardiomyopathy. An enlargement of the heart due to thick or weak heart muscle. Congenital heart disease. Defects in one or more heart structures that occur during formation of the fetus, such as a ventricular septal defect (hole in the wall between the 2 lower chambers of the heart).
What is myocardial hypertrophy?Myocardial hypertrophy is defined as an increase in ventricular myocardial mass. In clinical practice and in animal studies, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is often assessed by measurement of end-diastolic thickness of septal and LV posterior wall and may be associated with normal or dilated LV cavity.
What causes a thickening of the heart wall?The most common cause is high blood pressure. Left ventricular hypertrophy is thickening of the walls of the lower left heart chamber. The lower left heart chamber is called the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber.
What does cardiomyopathy mean?Overview. Cardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.
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