You may hear about the condition of enlarged heart, but do not imagine what that word means. There is something that says that this condition is the heart’s reaction to anything that forces it to pump more blood and work harder to distribute it, which means that the heart is exposed to stress and a health problem that may have complications later on. So let us learn in this article about the causes, symptoms, and types of this condition and what are the possible complications?
What is cardiomegaly?
Cardiomegaly is a condition in which the size of the heart is larger than normal. It is not considered a disease in itself, but it is a condition that may be temporary in some cases, and may continue, which indicates the presence of another health problem related to blood pumping and heart function. Enlargement is usually diagnosed and identified through chest X-rays with echocardiography (echo).
Types of heart enlargement
The types of heart enlargement are divided into four types that are different in nature and severity, including the following:
- Eccentric or dilated cardiomegaly:
It is an enlargement of the ventricle only and an increase in its internal volume without an increase in the thickness of the wall. This type leads to dilation of the heart muscle and severe failure in blood pumping. - Concentric or non-dilated cardiomegaly:
It occurs as a result of thickening of the heart walls, which reduces the internal volume of the ventricle, and is often caused by chronic high blood pressure. - Physiological or exercise heart hypertrophy:
It is a condition that occurs in athletes who are unsatisfactory due to intense exercise. This is a natural hypertrophy, as the heart adapts to the hypertrophy to pump blood more efficiently. - Pathological cardiomegaly:
It is caused by chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and hereditary heart diseases. This type may lead to heart failure and therefore requires medical treatment with continuous follow-up.
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Causes of heart enlargement
Coronary artery disease is one of the most important and common causes of myocardial hypertrophy, in addition to other causes such as:
- High blood pressure without the patient's control.
- Chronic anemia resulting in a lack of oxygen.
- Some heart diseases such as mitral valve insufficiency.
- Bacterial or viral infection leads to heart enlargement.
- Suffering from thyroid disorders such as insufficiency or hyperactivity
- Cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart to weaken and forces the heart to enlarge to pump blood efficiently.
- Suffering from chronic kidney disease, which leads to fluid retention, which puts pressure on the heart and makes it enlarge.
- Coronary artery disease, which leads to blockage of the coronary arteries and a lack of blood flow to the heart muscle.
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Symptoms of heart enlargement
Symptoms of heart enlargement vary from one patient to another depending on the severity, type, and cause of the enlargement. Usually, no symptoms appear in the early stages, but later the following signs appear:
- Severe chest pain.
- Shortness of breath even when lying down.
- Fast heartbeat and heart palpitations.
- Swollen feet or ankles due to fluid retention.
- Feeling tired and weak even with slight effort.
- Persistent cough that increases when lying down due to fluid accumulation in the lungs.
- The patient experiences fainting and dizziness due to the heart's weak ability to pump blood.
Al Mousa Specialist Hospital owns an integrated detection unit Cardiovascular diseases Through a group of the best cardiologists in the Kingdom and the Arab world, and it has the latest diagnostic and examination devices in addition to fully equipped operating rooms to accommodate all heart surgeries for emergency cases.
Complications of cardiac hypertrophy
In the event of neglecting treatment or not following up with the doctor in the event of a real problem and the causes of this condition, the patient may be exposed to serious complications of heart hypertrophy, including:
- Heart failure due to poor efficiency in pumping blood
- The patient constantly experiences swelling of the legs and feet.
- Irregular heartbeat and severe abnormalities in the electrical signals of the heart.
- Enlargement may cause the heart valves to dilate, causing heart valve problems.
- In some cases, inflation may lead to serious electrical disturbances and cause sudden cardiac arrest.
- Exposure to blood clots due to blood stasis in the heart, and the clots may develop into a stroke.
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How to treat heart enlargement
When the patient feels some of the symptoms of cardiac hypertrophy that we mentioned, he must go immediately to the specialist doctor to diagnose the condition through a clinical examination and a medical history for the patient, in addition to an ultrasound examination called an echocardiogram, then the doctor begins to choose the appropriate treatment from among the following:
العلاج الدوائي
Drug treatment focuses on relieving symptoms caused by enlarged heart while preserving heart function as much as possible. Medicines include the following:
- Blood pressure medications such as beta blockers and other medications that treat high blood pressure.
- Diuretics that help get rid of sodium and relieve swelling in the legs.
- Anticoagulant medications that aim to reduce the risk of clots.
- Medicines that regulate irregular heartbeats.
العلاج الجراحي
In some advanced cases, the doctor may resort to stronger treatments that help strengthen the heart and regulate the heartbeat, including:
- Implanting a pacemaker in the chest to help the heart pump blood normally.
- Heart valve surgery in case of defects in one or more heart valves.
- Coronary artery bypass to create a path around the blocked artery to restore blood flow.
- If the patient suffers from heart failure, the doctor resorts to a heart transplant.
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Risk factors that increase heart enlargement
In addition to the reasons, there are some factors called risk factors that increase heart enlargement, that is, they increase doubts about this condition, and they include the following:
- Aging and aging.
- Having a family history of heart disease.
- Diabetics, where the risk of infection increases.
- Lack of physical activity with overweight or obesity.
- Excessive smoking and drinking alcohol, which weakens the heart muscle.
- Use of stimulant drugs such as cocaine or sports stimulants.
How to prevent heart enlargement?
Preventing heart enlargement depends on reducing the risk factors that lead to its occurrence, and this includes, of course, changing the routine of daily life by doing the following:
- Avoid obesity, which affects the heart, and maintain a healthy weight.
- Get enough hours of sleep daily, which range from 7 to 8 hours.
- Reduce stress and keep away from psychological pressure by doing deep breathing exercises.
- Avoid drinking too much caffeine because it causes severe heart rhythm disturbances.
- Control high blood pressure by following a healthy diet without consuming salt or sodium.
- Maintain cardiovascular health by exercising regularly, especially swimming and walking.
- Control cholesterol and blood sugar levels by reducing the intake of saturated fats and performing periodic examinations.
In order not to be exposed to the complications of cardiac hypertrophy, you must immediately follow up with a specialist doctor to control the symptoms. Therefore, you can contact the cardiovascular doctors at Al-Mousa Specialist Hospital in Al-Ahsa to diagnose the condition, control the symptoms immediately, and treat it effectively while providing the best possible medical care. Your health is important to us.
Frequently asked questions
We are still learning more about the condition of enlarged heart and how dangerous it is by answering the following questions that are frequently sent to us from our followers:
Is heart enlargement dangerous?
It cannot be said that heart enlargement is dangerous in all cases, but its seriousness varies depending on the severity of the enlargement, the extent of its impact on heart function, and whether it is a temporary or permanent condition, and according to the treatment, whether there is follow-up or not, and the degree of control of the condition.
Can you live with an enlarged heart?
Yes, it is possible to live with an enlarged heart, but by constantly following up with the doctor, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and completely quitting smoking or any harmful habits that lead to stress on the heart.
Does heart enlargement cause clots?
Yes, in some cases, if the condition is not controlled, an enlarged heart may cause recurrent clots, and there is a greater risk of suffering a stroke due to the clots reaching the brain.
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