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An enlarged heart, also termed cardiomegaly, is a condition characterised by an increase in the size of the heart. However, this can't be termed as a condition; instead, it is a sign that some other health condition is prevailing in the body and affecting the heart. Some conditions, like pregnancy, increase the workload and demand on the heart, whereas certain conditions can thicken the heart wall muscle or dilate (widen) the heart's chambers, which makes the heart enlarge. The heart may either be thick or dilated. An enlarged heart can be temporary or permanent; it depends on the underlying cause.
An enlarged heart may be due to various causes, like high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. An enlarged heart cannot pump blood efficiently to other body parts. Due to this, it increases the risk of other heart complications, such as heart failure or stroke. Most people need lifelong treatment and regular medication if they have an enlarged heart. A lot of people with an enlarged heart do not exhibit any symptoms. Therefore, it's possible they may not suspect anything is wrong. Some people know about it only when doctors suggest imaging tests to get detailed information regarding their hearts.
The heart can enlarge in two ways, namely:
People with cardiomegaly usually don't have any symptoms until their condition becomes more severe. If the heart cannot pump enough blood, patients may get signs of congestive heart failure. The various symptoms are:
Various health conditions that cause heart enlargement are:
Other possible causes of an enlarged heart comprise of:
If a patient presents symptoms of a heart problem, the doctor will perform a physical examination, suggest tests to determine if the heart is enlarged and try to find the possible cause of this condition. Some of these tests are:
Pressure in the heart's chambers can be checked to see how forcefully blood pumps through the heart. Images of the heart's arteries can be taken during a coronary angiogram to check for a blockage.
Treatments for an enlarged heart emphasise treating the main cause involved. It comprises medications, and if cardiomyopathy or any other form of heart condition is to blame for the enlarged heart, the doctor may recommend the following drugs:
Certain medical procedures or surgical interventions may be necessary if medications aren't effective enough to treat an enlarged heart.
Patients are at an increased risk of an enlarged heart if they have any of the following risk factors:
Complications of an enlarged heart include:
Patients may be unable to prevent congenital conditions (conditions that occur before birth). But they can prevent damage to the heart that can make it enlarge by following these steps:
Max Healthcare is home to 4800+ eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective fields. Additionally, they are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary clinical procedures.
Max Healthcare is home to 4800+ eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective fields. Additionally, they are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary clinical procedures.
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