Enlarged Heart (Cardiomyopathy)
Cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, is a symptom of many cardiac illnesses and stresses. The two most common types of cardiomegaly are dilated cardiomyopathy and ventricular hypertrophy. Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which heart function becomes impaired due to an area of the heart muscle becoming stretched and swollen from infection, metabolic disorder, toxins, and autoimmune infection, or pregnancy. The stretching of the heart reduces the efficiency of each pump and oxygenated blood delivery to major organs is reduced. Ventricular hypertrophy is the term used to describe the thickening of the muscle walls of the lower heart chambers (ventricles) resulting from stress, injury, disease, or neurohormones. As the walls of the ventricles swell, the heart enlarges and loses elasticity causing a loss of efficiency.
Symptoms of cardiomegaly are shared with many other health conditions but all warrant investigation. The most definitive diagnostic tools are chest x-rays, electrocardiograms, stress testing, and blood tests. Symptoms of cardiomegaly may include chest pain, persistent cough, dizziness (especially during increased physical activity), shortness of breath, and edema. Symptoms may also come in the form of other organ complications. When cardiomegaly reduces ventricular output, the lungs and liver are usually the first systems to show the effects of reduced oxygenation.
The most common causation factor for cardiomegaly is coronary heart disease. Other contributing factors may include genetics, obesity, substance abuse, nutritional deficiencies, viral and autoimmune diseases, stress, and untreated high blood pressure. A patients treatment may be further complicated when they suffer from a combination of these factors.
Because cardiomegaly is not a disease but a symptom of other health problems, resolution of the disorder is found in treatment of the underlying causes. Treatment may be as simple as drug therapy or as profound as a heart transplant. Success is greater in cases where diagnosis is made early treatment is aggressive. More radical treatments are required when cardiomegaly goes untreated and causes permanent damage to the muscle walls, heart valves, and other organ groups.
Lifestyle is a significant factor in the prevention of the underlying causes of cardiomegaly. Good nutrition, exercise, and sleep patterns play a significant role in reducing risk factors. Avoidance of illegal drugs, smoking, and overindulgence in alcohol consumption reduce risk. As early diagnosis is an important part of treatment, knowledge of family history, good communication with medical care providers, and regular medical screenings contribute to early diagnosis and successful prevention.
Advances in treatment and prevention for many underlying causes have made cardiomegaly both preventable and resolvable. In many cases where treatment is unsuccessful, patient compliance plays a significant role. When treatment fails, cardiomegaly causes degeneration of heart function as the heart continues to work harder with diminishing results. In dilated cardiomyopathy the stretching of the heart muscle weakens the constriction of the pump action, reducing flow.
In ventricular hypertrophy, the swelling of the chamber wall muscle mass reduces the interior capacity and flow volume. Oxygen depletion from reduced heart function begins to affect organ systems and may exacerbate the underlying causation illness. The end result of untreated cardiomegaly is exhaustion of the heart and sudden cardiac arrest. This condition can usually be avoided with regular checkups and preventative care.