enlarged heart
An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) is not a disease It is a symptom of another disease
An enlarged heart seen on X-ray is called "cardiomegaly". Other tests are needed to determine the cause of the enlarged heart
You may develop a temporary enlargement of the heart due to stress on the body, such as pregnancy or any disease: weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, problems with the heart valves or an abnormal heart rhythm
After treating the underlying cause, the condition of the enlarged heart may improve Treatment for cardiomegaly includes medications, medical procedures, or surgery
An enlarged heart is caused by diseases that cause the heart to work harder than normal or damage the heart muscle Sometimes, the heart becomes enlarged and weak for an unexplained reason (idiopathic).
Inherited heart diseases, damage from a heart attack, and abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) also cause cardiomegaly. Other conditions associated with an enlarged heart:
- High blood pressure Your heart may need to work harder to pump blood around the body As a result of this process, the heart muscle grows and thickens
- High blood pressure causes the left ventricle to enlarge, eventually weakening the heart muscle. As a result of high blood pressure, the upper cells of the heart (ventricles) may become enlarged.
- Heart valve disease The 4 valves present in the heart ensure the movement of blood in the heart in the right direction If the valves are damaged by any conditions, such as rheumatic fever, heart defects, infections (infective endocarditis), connective tissue diseases, certain medicines or radiation therapy for cancer also cause the heart to enlarge.
- Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy) As the heart muscle thickens and strengthens, the heart enlarges to pump blood around the body.
- High pressure of the artery connecting the heart and lungs (pulmonary arterial hypertension) During this time, the heart tries to work harder to get blood from the lungs to the heart As a result, the right side of the heart may become enlarged
- Fluid around the heart (effusion in the pericardium) Accumulation of fluid in the sac-like tissue surrounding the heart (pericardium) gives the heart an enlarged appearance on X-rays.
- Low content of red blood cells (anemia) In anemia, there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to the tissues Without medical intervention, chronic anemia leads to rapid or irregular heart rate The heart tries to pump more blood to compensate for the reduced oxygen in the blood
- Thyroid problems An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) and an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) - both cause heart problems, including an enlarged heart
- Excess iron content in the body (hemochromatosis) Hemochromatosis is a disease in which the normal metabolism of iron does not occur in the body, which leads to the accumulation of iron in organs, including the heart. The condition causes the heart to become enlarged The cause of cardiomegaly, in this case, is the weakening of the heart muscle
- Rare heart-damaging diseases such as amyloidosis In amyloidosis, abnormal proteins travel through the blood to the heart, impairing its function and causing the heart to enlarge.
In some patients, an enlarged heart causes no symptoms Others may have:
- shortness of breath
- abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
- swelling
When to see a doctor an enlarged heart is easier to treat early
If you have new heart-related symptoms, see your doctor
Seek medical attention if any of the following symptoms occur These symptoms may indicate a heart attack:
- chest pain
- acute shortness of breath
- heart failure (syncope)
