Established risk factors for cardiomegaly include
family history of cardiomegaly
, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, and coronary artery disease.
Who is at risk for developing cardiomegaly?
You have a higher risk of developing cardiomegaly if you have:
Family history of an enlarged heart
. Heavy alcohol use or drug misuse. High blood pressure (hypertension).
What conditions cause cardiomegaly?
- High blood pressure. …
- Heart valve disease. …
- Cardiomyopathy. …
- High blood pressure in the artery that connects your heart and lungs (pulmonary hypertension). …
- Fluid around your heart (pericardial effusion). …
- Blocked arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease). …
- Low red blood cell count (anemia). …
- Thyroid disorders.
What is the most common cause of enlarged heart?
The most common causes 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.
Is cardiomegaly serious?
The conditions that cause cardiomegaly
can damage the heart muscle
. They can lead to complications if left untreated. This includes: Heart failure.
How do you prevent cardiomegaly?
- Quit smoking.
- Lose excess weight.
- Limit salt in your diet.
- Control diabetes.
- Monitor your blood pressure.
- Get modest exercise, after discussing with your doctor the most appropriate program of physical activity.
- Avoid or stop using alcohol and caffeine.
Does cardiomegaly go away?
For some people,
cardiomegaly is just temporary and will resolve on its own
. However, other people may have permanent cardiomegaly. It is vital that this symptom and the underlying cause of it are treated to prevent more serious damage to the heart. Treatments include medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes.
What is the life expectancy of someone with an enlarged heart?
The effect of an enlarged heart on life expectancy depends in part on the underlying cause. But even with treatment, many people have a downhill course. Most with severe heart disease
die within a few years
.
Is it OK to exercise with an enlarged heart?
Exercise may reduce more than your waist size. It also may help shrink a thickened and enlarged heart.
Regular exercise can be at least
as beneficial as blood pressure medication when treating an enlarged heart.
Should I worry about an abnormal EKG?
An abnormal EKG can mean many things. Sometimes an EKG abnormality is a normal variation of a heart's rhythm, which does not affect your health. Other times, an abnormal EKG can signal a medical emergency, such as a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or a dangerous arrhythmia.
What 3 foods cardiologists say to avoid?
- Bacon, sausage and other processed meats. Hayes, who has a family history of coronary disease, is a vegetarian. …
- Potato chips and other processed, packaged snacks. …
- Dessert. …
- Too much protein. …
- Fast food. …
- Energy drinks. …
- Added salt. …
- Coconut oil.
How do you find out if you have an enlarged heart?
- echocardiogram.
- EKG / ECG (electrocardiogram)
- chest X-ray.
- exercise stress test.
- MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging)
- blood tests to check for thyroid disease, infectious causes.
Can alcoholism cause an enlarged heart?
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is due to drinking too much alcohol over a long period of time, which can weaken your heart so it can no longer pump blood efficiently. Your heart then becomes enlarged. This is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy.
How do I know my heart is failing?
Heart failure signs and symptoms may include:
Shortness of breath with activity
or when lying down. Fatigue and weakness. Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.
Does cardiomegaly cause chest pain?
Symptoms of cardiomegaly depend on the cause. Sometimes, cardiomegaly
may not cause symptoms
. In other cases it can cause signs and symptoms like edema (water retention) with weight gain, arrhythmia, palpitations, tiredness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Can ECG detect heart enlargement?
An ECG (electrocardiogram) records the electrical activity of your heart at rest. It provides information about your heart rate and rhythm, and shows if there is
enlargement
of the heart due to high blood pressure (hypertension) or evidence of a previous heart attack (myocardial infarction).
