An enlarged heart causes an adult after 55. What can be dangerous about an enlarged heart in an adult? Additional research methods

Enlargement of the heart is found in both adults and children. The causes of an enlarged heart in adults and the condition differ from the causes and condition of children's pathology, therefore, the treatment will differ significantly.

In a child, the central organ of blood circulation increases due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and rheumatism. Endocarditis and pericarditis are rare in children. It is possible to diagnose a change in the size of the heart in a child as the disease develops.

The mechanism for increasing the heart muscle in adults is an increase in the right or left ventricle, as well as two ventricles at once. In addition, expansion of the two atria is also possible. Then the organ will be so hypertrophied that it may lose its function.

The reasons for their expansion are neoplastic processes and the accumulation of metabolic products in the organ cavities. In this case, cardiomegaly is considered true. Often the causes of cardiomegaly are associated with increased stress (sports or physical), bearing a child. Instrumental research methods can accurately determine the factors of heart enlargement.

Cardiac hypertrophy - a syndrome and a reason for the occurrence of serious. Due to the growth of cardiomyocytes, which make up 25% of all cells, the tissue of the heart muscle increases, and therefore myocardial hypertrophy develops. Almost all other cells make up connective tissue.

It's important to know. A condition in which tissues increase in size and concomitant diseases of the heart and blood vessels occur is considered abnormal. The exception is physiological hypertrophy due to regular sports training. It occurs in athletes and physically active people.

The organs of this category of people can no longer function without additional oxygen supplied by the circulatory system. Therefore, under load, the size of the heart muscle in the lower zones increases. The volume of the left ventricle especially increases, since it ejects blood into the systemic circulation.

Common causes of heart enlargement

Uncommon causes of heart enlargement

The heart does not enlarge so often due to:

• Muscular dystrophy. There is a violation of the nerves and muscles;
• Tricuspid valve insufficiency. When overloaded with blood volume, the right ventricle and atrium increase. With vicious valves on the left half of the heart, pulmonary hypertension causes a secondary increase in the heart muscle on the right.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The reasons for a slight increase in size lie in the dystrophy of the heart muscles with the presence of asymmetric and disproportionate ventricular hypertrophy. In this case, there is (or does not arise) an obstacle to the withdrawal of blood.
• Infiltrative-restrictive cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle increases because the filling of both ventricles is disturbed.
• Cardiocynomatosis. An increase in the heart muscle occurs due to infiltration of the myocardium or pericardium against the background of oncological diseases of the breast or lungs.
• Radiation myocarditis. There is myocardial fibrosis, dilatation of the heart chambers with episodic irradiation of the sternum.
• Bacterial endocarditis. A large heart happens if severe insufficiency is manifested: mintral or aortic.
• Infrequently, the walls of the central organ of blood circulation increase due to tocoplasmosis. This disease is caused by protozoa. Idiopathic cardiomyopathy can be misdiagnosed in this case. And also due to streptococcal infection in acute rheumatism (rheumatic heart disease).
• Endocrine disorders enlarge the heart. Hyperthyroidism increases heart rate, stroke volume, and output, while hypothyroidism increases bradycardia and pericardial effusion.

Due to rheumatoid arthritis, a disease such as pericarditis occurs and there is an effusion in the pericardium. Against the background of systemic lupus erythematosus, lesions of any cardiac structure are noted, including valves and the pericardium, the conduction system, and coronary arteries.

Infrequently, the heart walls increase due to diseases:

• Acute systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and myocardiofibrosis.
• Stenosis of the pulmonary artery. The right ventricle with atrium is enlarged.
• Metastases in oncological tumors of the breast and lungs.
• Complete atrioventricular block of the heart. Note: a decrease in heart rate with an increased stroke volume, pronounced cardiomegaly on the radiograph at the end of the diastolic pause.

Rare causes of heart enlargement

The reasons for the expansion of the right and left parts of the heart are associated with the following factors: amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, Laffeler's myocarditis, sarcoisod, bacterial infections, alcoholism.

Enlargement of the heart, or cardiomegaly, is an extremely specific pathology, accompanied by an expansion of all 4 heart chambers. In the people, such a pathological condition as cardiomegaly is called "bull's heart." But a big heart is not always good. Due to the development of this pathological condition, severe hypertrophy of the organ, violations of its functions are observed.

Often, an increase in heart muscle size is observed in people who lead a very active lifestyle and devote a lot of time to sports exercises, but at the same time, heart muscles also develop evenly. If such a pathology is observed in people who are not actively involved in sports, there is an increase in the size of the ventricles, but the heart muscles themselves are quickly depleted and cannot normally compress the hypertrophied ventricles. Pathological enlargement of the heart in size can be the result of many heart diseases.

Reasons for development

Normally, men have a much larger heart than women. It is now known that the normal volume of the heart in men is approximately 760 cm³, while in women indicators of about 580 cm³ are considered good. It is believed that such a difference in the size of hearts in representatives of different sexes is due to different volumes of the chest. As a rule, an enlarged heart is observed in adults, while in children such pathological changes in the structure of organ tissues occur extremely rarely. The most common causes of cardiomegaly in adults include:

• pregnancy;
• difficult childbirth;
• idiopathic cardiomyopathy;
• aortic insufficiency;
• stenoses;
• cor pulmonale;
• kidney failure;
• cardiac ischemia;
• effusion in the pericardial sac;
• inflammation of the heart muscle;
• rheumatic heart disease;
• systemic lupus erythematosus;
• aortoarteritis;
• scleroderma;
• severe stress;
• septic endocarditis;
• severe anemia;
• high blood pressure;
• arterial hypertension;
• alcohol and drug addiction;
• Chagas disease.

Normally, the work of the whole heart is provided by strong elastic muscles, but with the development of such a pathological condition as cardiomegaly, there is a rapid increase in the volume of organs and a decrease in the amount of muscle tissue. With an increase in the size of the heart, there is a gradual decrease in the release of blood and a slowdown in its circulation throughout the human body.

As all the walls of the heart hypertrophy, it loses its ability to provide normal blood flow in all tissues of the body, which provokes the development of congestive processes. Developing compensatory phenomena, although at first they can provide the body with the necessary level of blood supply, in the future they no longer allow the heart to fully pump blood, and the development of heart failure and premature death of a person are observed.

Symptoms

For a long time, ongoing changes in the tissues of the heart may go unnoticed by patients, especially if there are other diseases that occur with severe symptoms. In addition, it should be borne in mind that there are simply no specific symptoms of an increase in the size of the heart. The thing is that many of the signs present in a condition such as cardiomegaly are characteristic of primary diseases that provoke tissue hypertrophy. In perfectly healthy people, the following symptoms may indicate the development of cardiomegaly:

• heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
• dry cough;
• swelling of the legs and the whole body;
• increased fatigue;
• chest pain.

At first, such manifestations can be expressed rather weakly. However, as tissues hypertrophy, symptomatic manifestations begin to increase, as the heart gradually loses its ability to perform its function. The consequences of the expansion of the walls of the heart and the enlargement of the ventricles can be the most unfavorable.

Diagnosis and treatment of cardiomegaly

Modern diagnostic methods do not allow to detect an increase in the volume of the heart in the early stages, since the symptomatic manifestations of this dangerous condition can be the result of other diseases of the cardiovascular system, which often confuses even qualified cardiologists. To confirm the diagnosis, the following measures are taken:

• radiography;
• palpation;
• listening;
• echocardiogram;
• catheterization;
• blood chemistry;
• biopsy.

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In rare cases, when an increase in heart volume is detected in the early stages, this process can be stopped by medical methods. When the disease has already entered into full force, the main treatment should be directed to the root causes of the appearance of this pathological condition. Depending on the nature of the root cause of the problem, treatment can be carried out both medically and surgically.

As a rule, drugs are prescribed that allow you to stabilize the work of the heart in a particular primary disease.

Among other things, the patient must follow a special mode of wakefulness and activity, as well as a special sparing diet. It is very important to eat small meals and avoid overeating. Surgical treatment involves ventricular myotomy. Such surgery may not be carried out by all patients, as it is associated with a high risk of death on the operating table. In severe cases, when other therapies do not have the desired effect, a heart transplant is required.

For more than two centuries, cardiologists of the world have been struggling with heart pathologies, using ever new methods of treatment. Most diseases are acquired in nature, and if regularly examined, the risk of serious consequences is significantly reduced.

One of the striking symptoms of pathologies of this profile is an enlarged heart. To people who do not know what it is, the name will seem scary, but if you notice the signs of the disease in time and start treatment, the consequences will not be dangerous.

general information

The diagnosis of "big heart" or "cardiomegaly" is often made, in Russia there are about 9.5 million people with this syndrome. This is due to the rapid spread of cardiovascular diseases and pathologies of the heart muscle.

At risk are, first of all, older people with a history of related ailments.

If the heart is enlarged, there is a high probability of a long-term disease, which as a result will lead to chronic organ failure. The left ventricle is more often deformed, less often the right one. The reason is hypertrophy of the muscle walls or dilations (change in the size of the chambers).

This phenomenon is also characteristic of athletes experiencing regular physical activity. But in this case, the muscle does not lose elasticity, the dimensions change due to the intensity of blood pumping.

Such a diagnosis in sports practice means that treatment and observation in cardiology, weakening of the training regimen is necessary.

The syndrome has various appearances. Most often it occurs in men aged 80-84 years.

Typical diseases:

• Pathologies of the cardiovascular system, including congenital heart failure.
• Chronic infectious and inflammatory processes in the tissues of the heart muscle (for example, pericarditis or rheumatism).

In athletes, the syndrome may not be detected for a long time, since it has no clear independent symptoms. Diagnosis in 80% of cases is established during examination associated with other complaints.

Causes and symptoms

The cause of cardiomegaly in more than 50% of cases is hypertrophy of the ventricular tissues, mainly on the one hand.

If both the left and right ventricles have thickened walls, the heart increases significantly in size. This phenomenon is more difficult to diagnose.

If both atria are enlarged, the heart does not have the ability to function fully, an operation may be necessary.

The reasons

The syndrome is caused not only by heart disease, but also by other physiological conditions. The load on this organ may be associated with a work regime, an unhealthy lifestyle, or a special state of the body.

Physiological factors:

• Pregnancy.
• Long-term use of antibiotics.
• Alcohol addiction.
• Sports mode with high load.

• Diabetes mellitus and concomitant hypertension.
• Anemia;.
• Congenital or acquired heart disease.
• Asthma and obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Pathology of the liver, kidneys.
• Anemia 2 and 3 degrees.
• Hormonal cardiomyopathy.
• Cardiac ischemia.
• Myocardial infarction.

These diseases do not always entail the diagnosis of the heart muscle, so this syndrome takes on a chronic form and reveals itself at an unexpected moment, often on fluorography.

Pathology has no specific symptoms and is characterized by manifestations of the underlying disease. Most often there is a sign of fatigue and lack of strength.

Symptoms

Pathology is indicated by:

• Shortness of breath with little physical activity.
• Swelling, especially of ankles and hands.
• Heaviness in the hypochondrium on inspiration on the right.
• Throbbing headache.
• Pain in the hypochondrium on the left.
• The pressure is above normal.
• Noise and ringing in the ears.
• Cough without expectoration.
• Weakness, fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Ripples before the eyes.

Important! In 35% of cases, asymptomatic cases of cardiomegaly are diagnosed. Only a regular medical examination can identify the problem in a timely manner, which after 55 years must be taken once every 6 months.

Pathology in children

An enlarged heart occurs in children while still in the womb. The disease is serious, but in many cases it is not fatal.

There is a phenomenon due to adverse effects on a woman during the formation of the cardiovascular system in the embryo.

This process begins at 3-6 weeks of pregnancy, when the mother often does not yet know about her condition and does not limit herself in anything. Full formation of the heart occurs in up to 12 weeks.

Causes of intrauterine cardiomegaly:

• Irradiation with X-rays and radioactive rays.
• Infectious and viral diseases of a woman in the first trimester of pregnancy.
• Taking antiepileptic, psychotropic drugs.
• Severe violation of the diet (starvation, diet).
• Wrong lifestyle (drinking alcohol or drugs, smoking).
• Maternally inherited gene.

With such risks, diseases of the fetal heart and blood vessels are formed. The most common defect in the form of congenital heart failure (CHF), Epstein's disease.

With the development of an anomaly in a child in half of the cases, its moderate course is observed. If there are concomitant chromosomal abnormalities, gene disorders, or hormonal causes, the treatment prognosis is uncertain.

Symptoms of cardiomegaly in a child may appear in the first months of life or be absent altogether if the defect is minor. The prognosis of treatment in a newborn is favorable if there are no other cardiac pathologies.

If necessary, the newborn is saved by surgical intervention. Modern medicine is able to provide perinatal and cardiological centers with the necessary equipment, so the child is operated on already in the first week from birth.

Forecasts with timely diagnosis and treatment are favorable.

In children from 1 year old, large heart sizes are due to congenital (not established in time) or acquired defect.

Signs of illness in a child:

• Fast fatiguability.
• Drowsiness.
• Bad dream.
• Lethargy.
• Chronic nervous tension with outbursts of aggression.
• Frequent mood swings.

Symptoms and treatment of a child of younger or school age are the same as in an adult patient. The chance of doing without surgery is high.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of the syndrome requires an examination of the patient's history. Chronic diseases, causes of recent hospitalizations, medical records, test data, etc. are studied. This includes the appointment of a hardware examination using special equipment.

Examination methods:

• Listening and heart rate monitoring.
• Blood test for biochemistry.
• biopsy study.
• Chest x-ray. It is on the x-ray that the boundaries of the expansion of the contours of the organ are clearly visible.
• ECHO KG, because the examination is noticeable when the heart muscle has signs of necrosis or ischemic pathology.
• Ultrasound procedure.
• Computed tomography or MRI will show an increase in the volume of the organ.
• Coronary angiography.
• It is necessary to study the hormonal background, work regime, attitude to sports and the general condition of the body, since often a harmful lifestyle affects the course of the disease.

Treatment

Patients are assigned:

• Diuretic drugs for removing fluid stagnation.
• Antithrombotic drugs that affect blood clotting, acting against the formation of plaques and blood clots in the vessels.
• "Heart" pills (captopril, for example).
• Valve prosthetics, if there is a pathology.
• Installing a pacemaker.
• Antihypertensive drugs for hypertension.
• Hormonal preparations.

Surgical intervention is prescribed in emergency cases, when severe consequences are predicted, in particular, the diagnosis of "bull heart". To correct the situation, a transplant is needed, the operation is expensive and requires a donor organ.

In the complex of treatment, the cardiologist prescribes the observance of the correct diet, work and rest. Together with drug treatment, this tactic gives a high result.

Correct Mode

The patient needs:

• Minimize salt and sugar in your diet.
• Avoid fatty, fried and spicy foods.
• Give up smoking and alcohol.
• Walk for 30 minutes a day.
• Measure blood pressure regularly.
• Perform special exercises.

Only timely diagnosis increases the chances of effective treatment. Methods for detecting the syndrome are offered by each budget clinic. This makes it possible to carry out the necessary examinations free of charge and at any time.

Complications

The symptom of a large heart does not go away completely, but if treatment is started on time, as a result, the organ begins to decrease in size. This is due to the extinction of the activity of the underlying disease. With improper therapy or no treatment, the risk of complications is high.

Effects:

• Myocardial infarction.
• Stroke.
• Thrombosis.
• TELA.
• Rupture of large vessels.
• Defects of vascular trunks.
• Insufficiency of cerebral blood flow.
• atherosclerosis etc.

Thromboembolism of the pulmonary arteries is on the 3rd place in the number of deaths. Most often, the diagnosis occurs in patients if the heart is enlarged in diameter (stretching across the organ due to blood stasis).

The result can be a fatal outcome - cardiac arrest or cessation of the full-fledged work of blood vessels, etc.

An organ that is growing rapidly will take on a critical size, and then only surgery can save it. But its cost and difficulties in finding an organ for transplantation hinder the timely rescue of the patient.

According to statistics, the likelihood of the syndrome increases at the age of 55 years. In an elderly person, the risk is higher, because. it directly depends on the course of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

It is necessary to undergo a scheduled examination at least once a year: UAC, X-ray, cardiogram, etc. In case of suspicious symptoms, you should consult a doctor, because delay threatens with a dangerous outcome.

In their practice, doctors often encounter people with heart disease. More often this applies to patients of elderly or senile age. In some cases, heart pathologies are also found in the working population. Newborn babies who have acquired defects in the prenatal period are no exception. One of the symptoms of such pathologies is an enlarged heart. This symptom is common in many cardiac diseases. An increase in the heart muscle usually indicates a long-term pathology that led to CHF.

Cardiomegaly - what is it?

Normally, the size of the heart is individual for each. They depend on the complexion of a person, gender, age. It is believed that the size of the organ is approximately equal to the size of a hand clenched into a fist. Nevertheless, there are limits separating the norm from the pathology. An enlarged heart is called cardiomegaly. It can be detected both during a physical examination and through instrumental diagnostics. In most cases, the ventricle of the heart is enlarged, mainly the left one. Less often, cardiomegaly occurs due to the right departments. An increase in the organ appears due to hypertrophy of the muscle layer, as well as due to myocardial stretching (dilation). This phenomenon rarely occurs in the short term. Cardiomegaly is usually preceded by a long-term chronic illness.

Enlarged heart: causes of pathology

Cardiomegaly can occur due to many reasons. It depends on the age of the patient, hereditary predisposition, body weight and lifestyle. Sometimes an enlarged heart is considered a variant of the norm. In this case, cardiomegaly should be moderate. Such cases include constant physical activity, pregnancy, rarely adolescence. A significant increase in the size of the heart in this category of people is also a pathology. There are the following causes of cardiomegaly:

Birth defects (CHD). They are formed during pregnancy, can be of various sizes. With large or combined defects, heart failure occurs quickly. In this case, cardiomegaly can manifest itself already in the first months of a child's life. If the defects are insignificant, the increase in the heart occurs gradually, sometimes it does not occur at all. Inflammatory diseases. These include myo-, endo- and pericarditis. Most often, these pathologies occur in childhood and adolescence. Cardiomegaly is observed only in cases where the disease has become chronic. Dilated myopathy can also be attributed to this group. Acquired heart defects. Formed in adulthood. Most often they are the result of rheumatism. Chronic cardiovascular pathologies. These include myocardial ischemia (heart attack, angina pectoris), arterial hypertension. Chronic lung diseases. Among them - bronchial asthma, COPD. Pathologies of other organs and systems. Enlargement of the heart can be observed with severe anemia, renal and hepatic insufficiency, hyperthyroidism. Metabolic syndrome (obesity in combination with diabetes mellitus).

The mechanism of development of cardiomegaly

The pathogenesis of cardiomegaly depends on the cause. Most often, left ventricular hypertrophy occurs in people who have metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, or arterial hypertension. With a low supply of oxygen, the heart muscle contracts more than usual, and gradually increases in size. The same thing happens with hypertension. In this case, the heart does not have time to pump blood fast enough due to its high pressure, so the body needs more effort. The mechanism of development of cardiomegaly differs in stenosis and valve insufficiency. In the case of these pathologies, the blood does not completely enter the adjacent chamber or vessel (aorta, pulmonary artery) and causes stretching of one of the sections of the heart. With long-term defects, both the ventricle and the atrium increase. In some cases, hypertrophy of the entire organ may occur. Right ventricular failure occurs with pulmonary pathologies, liver diseases.

Symptoms of an enlarged heart

Symptoms of an enlarged heart can be expressed in varying degrees. With left ventricular hypertrophy, patients complain of shortness of breath. Attacks of lack of air occur during exercise, heavy lifting, fast and long walking. With severe cardiomegaly, shortness of breath can be at rest. In addition, some patients present with edematous syndrome. Most often, fluid accumulates on the lower third of the legs in the evening. If the cause of CHF is ischemia, patients are concerned about pain in the cardiac region. Also, the clinical picture depends on the cause of cardiomegaly. With pulmonary pathologies, cough, suffocation are added to the listed symptoms. Liver failure is characterized by massive edema (ascites, anasarca), swelling of the jugular veins. Elderly people with an enlarged heart often have hypertension.

How to diagnose cardiomegaly?

To identify cardiomegaly, there is not enough history data. For this, it is necessary to carry out palpation and percussion of the organ. When the heart is tapped, it becomes clear to the doctor whether its size is normal or goes beyond its boundaries. In addition, a chest X-ray is performed. With cardiomegaly, the outline of the organ in the pictures is enlarged. To determine in which departments hypertrophy is observed, an ECG is performed. Thanks to this study, you can also find out about the cause of the disease (ischemia, lung pathology). Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) is considered the most accurate for diagnosis. It allows you to determine the thickness of the myocardium in each chamber, the size of the cavities, the presence of dilation.

Enlarged heart treatment

When this symptom is detected, patients are wondering what to do if the heart is enlarged. Treatment should be started only after a complete examination and clarification of the causes. If necessary, bronchodilators, antihypertensives, diuretics are prescribed. In some cases, a combination of these agents is needed. Regardless of the cause, it is important to take medications that affect the suppression of heart failure. These include drugs "Coronal", "Propronolol", "Captopril", etc. In case of severe heart defects, surgical treatment is necessary. It is also prescribed for persistent ischemia and acute circulatory failure.

Enlarged heart: consequences of the disease

Unfortunately, heart failure rarely resolves completely, as it is a chronic progressive disease. With inadequate therapy or its absence, the consequences can be serious. In the case of severe cardiomegaly, the patient constantly lacks air, as a result of which all organs suffer. Also, the disease can lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, thromboembolism of the heart or pulmonary vessels.

The heart is one of the most important organs of the human body. One of the most dangerous symptoms of diseases that affect not only the cardiovascular system, but also other organs, is an enlarged heart (cardiomegaly). This can manifest itself in different ways: in one case, the patient has symptoms characteristic of diseases of the heart muscle, in the other, he lives for a long time and is not even aware of the presence of a pathology.

Causes of pathology

The most important organ that ensures the vital activity of the whole organism consists of 4 chambers: two ventricles and two atria. There are two parts of the heart - right and left, each of which includes the atrium and ventricle. Normally, changes in the boundaries of the heart occur throughout life. In people who play sports, there is an increase in its size, which is considered a completely natural process and does not cause any cause for concern.

The weight of the heart of a man is 332 grams, women - 253 grams. An enlarged heart is observed with the growth of the myocardium and (or) expansion of its cavity. Most often, there is an increase in the organ to the left, which is observed in many diseases: hypertension, stagnation of blood in the systemic circulation, heart defects. It is dangerous to increase all departments of the body. This condition is called "bull heart", and only the use of surgical intervention can improve the quality of a person's life.

The reasons affecting the increase in the body are:

Hypertonic disease. An increase in pressure leads to changes in the cardiovascular system: vascular tone increases, the thickness of the muscle layer increases, and the systemic circulation suffers. Ischemic heart disease: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction. Oxygen starvation of the tissues of the organ occurs with the death of their cells and replacement with connective tissue, which leads to an increase in the size of its left section. Rheumatic heart disease. It is a consequence of tonsillitis (frequent sore throats). Rheumatic disease is manifested by an inflammatory process occurring in the tissues of the organ. As a result, valves suffer and defects form. Myocarditis. Impaired kidney function. Alcohol abuse. The most common example is alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Smoking. Acute pericarditis (inflammation of the serosa). Congenital heart defects.

The presence of pathology in close relatives is considered a risk factor, therefore, under certain conditions, the disease can manifest itself in other family members. A common cause of changes in the heart muscle is an increase in pressure (above 140/90 mm Hg), which adversely affects the state of the cardiovascular system and in some cases leads to an increase in the organ up to the “bull heart”.

Congenital heart disease is of great importance. Today, it is treated in the first years of life, but there are also forms that are found only at an older age. An example is the non-closure of the interventricular septum. The left ventricle contains oxygen-rich blood - arterial, and the right ventricle - carbon dioxide (venous).

Normally, the blood does not mix, but with pathology of the interventricular septum, blood is thrown from the left ventricle to the right. Variations in the size of the defect are different. Improper distribution of blood within the body and leads to its increase.

Symptoms of the disease

Manifestations of cardiomegaly are purely individual. In some cases, symptoms do not occur at all, and a person learns about the expansion of the boundaries of the organ by chance, for example, during a fluorography or a doctor's examination. If the pathology makes itself felt, then its manifestations are not much different from the symptoms of diseases of the cardiovascular system. But there are cases when the pathological process develops so rapidly that a "bull's heart" is quickly formed.

Signs include:

Pain behind the sternum. Dizziness, loss of consciousness for no reason. Fast fatiguability. Shortness of breath on slight exertion. Arrhythmia (change in rhythm). The appearance of edema (especially on the lower extremities in the evening). Cough not associated with respiratory disease.

The expansion of the size of such an important organ of the cardiovascular system entails very dangerous consequences. If the heart rhythm is disturbed, there is a risk of cardiac arrest. The occurrence of noise should be monitored by a doctor, because it indicates a change in the structure of the valves. An enlarged heart affects the quality of the entire cardiovascular system. Over time, there will come a time when the body will not be able to pump the required amount of blood, so the risk of developing heart failure increases over the years. If the problem is ignored, then you can get a serious complication - a "bull's heart" (an increase in the size of an organ to a critical one).

Diagnosis and treatment

Today in the world of medicine there are a huge number of methods for diagnosing cardiac pathology. In this situation, the cardiologist prescribes:

Chest X-ray. Electrocardiogram. Echocardiography. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (if necessary). Blood chemistry.

It should be remembered that a correct diagnosis plays an important role in the treatment of any disease. Therefore, having studied the results, the doctor determines the tactics of treatment.

Treatment should begin with lifestyle changes. Proper nutrition (exclusion of fatty, spicy, salty foods), sleep for at least 7 hours, no bad habits, exercise will help you get rid of the diagnosis of heart hypertrophy.

Treatment consists in the appointment of diuretics (removal of excess water reduces the load), anticoagulants (reduce the risk of blood clots and, as a result, minimize the manifestations of coronary heart disease). Drugs that help restore cardiac activity are also prescribed.

Surgical treatments are used when a person's life is at risk. The most neglected form is considered to be "bull's heart", in such a situation, transplantation of the affected organ is recommended. In the event of a change in the structure of the valve, prosthetics are performed. If there are changes in the heart rhythm, then a device is installed under the skin, with the help of which it is corrected.

The heart is the most vulnerable organ of the human body. Its work is influenced by many factors, eliminating which can prolong health for many years. A healthy lifestyle and physical activity will help to avoid the occurrence of pathologies of the cardiovascular system and the most dangerous complication - "bull's heart".

From this article you will learn: why the heart can increase, whether a big heart is always a sign of illness. What symptoms appear if the heart is enlarged due to diseases. Pathology treatment.

Causes of heart enlargement: "safe" and pathological Characteristics of diseases in which the heart is enlarged Diagnosis Treatment Prognosis

Both the whole heart and its individual chambers can increase. This may be a symptom of malformations of the cardiovascular system, inflammatory processes, or a consequence of excessive stress on the myocardium.

The problem is dealt with by a cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon.

Some diseases that cause enlargement of the heart can be completely cured with medication or surgery, but there are those that are completely eliminated only by transplantation of this organ.

There are two types of enlargement of the whole heart or its individual chambers:

Hypertrophy. This is wall thickening. Occurs due to the growth of the myocardium (muscle membrane). The left ventricle is most susceptible to this, since it has the greatest load. Hypertrophy does not always require treatment. Dilation. This is a “stretching” of the organ chambers - an increase in their cavity.

Causes of an increase in the size of the heart

This may be an excessive load on the heart muscle or defects of the heart or blood vessels.

Relatively safe causes of overgrowth of the heart muscle

physical activity of high intensity; difficult pregnancy and childbirth.

An enlarged heart is a distinctive feature of people whose bodies are often subjected to aerobic exercise: athletes, hockey players, football players, biathletes, cyclists, skiers, boxers, wrestlers, etc.

Due to intense cardio loads and the need for the organ to pump blood more intensively, the myocardium (muscular membrane) grows, which entails hypertrophy first of the left ventricle, and then of the other chambers.

In addition, the cavity of the ventricles is stretched. This is necessary in order to ensure a higher performance of the heart - the larger the cavity of the ventricle, the more blood the heart can pump in one contraction.

If there are no symptoms disturbing a person, then this feature does not require treatment.

Comparison of ultrasound of the heart of an ordinary person and an athlete

If the heart volume exceeds 1200 cm3, doctors may prohibit the person from continuing to play professional sports.

In the same way, a large load on the myocardium occurs during pregnancy and childbirth. If there are no other signs of diseases of the cardiovascular system, then there is no need for treatment.

Pathological causes of heart enlargement

Arterial hypertension. Stenosis of the aortic valve. Cardiomyopathy. mitral stenosis. Ventricular septal defect. Ebstein anomaly. exudative pericarditis. Myocarditis. Amyloidosis.

These diseases require immediate treatment. If the cause of dilatation or hypertrophy is not eliminated in time, heart failure will progress irreversibly.

Characteristics of diseases in which the heart is enlarged

In this section, you will learn in detail about what happens with the pathologies listed above, what symptoms they are accompanied by, and their causes.

Arterial hypertension

This is chronically high blood pressure. Due to vasospasm, the left ventricle works more actively to pump blood around the body. There is hypertrophy of its wall.

This pathology has the most favorable prognosis. If you take the antihypertensive drugs prescribed by your doctor on time, the heart will return to normal and will not increase further.

Ventricular septal defect

A congenital heart defect in which there is a hole in the septum between the left and right ventricles. With pathology, all chambers of the organ increase, especially the left ventricle.

dyspnea; feeling of strong heartbeat; heartache; cough.

Cardiomyopathy

Enlarged heart is the main clinical sign of these diseases.

There are several types of cardiomyopathy:

dilated, hypertrophic, metabolic.

Types of cardiomyopathies and their description:

Symptoms of cardiomyopathy:

Valve defects

Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the valve lumen between the aorta and the left ventricle. Makes it difficult to release blood. Provokes left ventricular hypertrophy.

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Mitral stenosis is a narrowing of the lumen of the valve located between the left ventricle and the left atrium. Left atrial hypertrophy is characteristic.

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Ebstein anomaly - underdevelopment of the tricuspid valve and its displacement into the right ventricle. The right atrium and the upper part of the right ventricle were enlarged.

Causes of valve defects:

Symptoms of valve defects:

Inflammatory diseases

Myocarditis

Symptoms of myocarditis:

cardiopalmus; dyspnea; chest pain; high temperature (38 and more).

When the disease becomes chronic, the symptoms may disappear.

Pericarditis

Exudative pericarditis is an inflammation of the outer shell of the heart (pericardial sac), accompanied by the accumulation of fluid in it. It also increases the size of the heart.

persistent shortness of breath; cardiopalmus; temperature ranging from 37.1 to 38; swelling; low pressure; visible swelling of the chest in the region of the heart.

Amyloidosis

This is a rare disease with unknown causes. With amyloidosis in the myocardium, as well as in the arteries, liver, kidneys and other organs, a specific substance, amyloid, is deposited.

The disease is incurable.

Comparison of ultrasound of the heart of a healthy patient and a patient with amyloidosis

Diagnostics

The size of the heart can be determined using the following methods:

Percussion (finger tapping of the surface of the chest). Allows you to determine the boundaries of the body during the initial examination. EchoCG (ultrasound of the heart). It helps not only to find out the size of the heart, but also to establish the cause of its increase. Chest X-ray. Allows you to detect an increase in the heart during a preventive examination.

Further diagnostics may include ECG, Holter monitoring, various blood tests.

Treatment

It consists in eliminating the underlying disease, one of the symptoms of which was a big heart.

Forecast

It depends on what exactly provoked an increase in the heart:

With arterial hypertension, the prognosis is favorable. If you take the drugs prescribed by the doctor on time, the heart will soon return to normal and will no longer increase. With a defect of the interventricular septum - relatively favorable. If the operation is not performed on time, there is a risk of developing aortic valve insufficiency, severe arrhythmias, left ventricular dysfunction and sudden death. If the patient is operated on, the heart will no longer bother him. With dilated cardiomyopathy - unfavorable. Full recovery occurs only after transplantation. However, it is not always possible to find a donor for a heart transplant. In addition, the risk of postoperative complications is high. With hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - relatively unfavorable. With asymptomatic disease, patients die before the disease is detected. With proper therapy, the risk of death is reduced. With metabolic cardiomyopathy, the prognosis is favorable. With the establishment of metabolism, complete recovery occurs. Untreated aortic stenosis has a life expectancy of 1 to 4 years from the onset of symptoms. With a timely operation, the prognosis is relatively favorable. If mitral stenosis is left untreated, 50% of patients die within 5 years of the onset of symptoms. After surgery, the prognosis is relatively favorable. With Ebstein's anomaly - relatively favorable. The risk of sudden death is 3-4%. With myocarditis - favorable. Complete recovery occurs after 4-8 weeks in 90% of cases, after a year - in 10% of cases. With exudative pericarditis - favorable. All operated patients recover. With amyloidosis - unfavorable. The maximum life expectancy is 5 years from the date of diagnosis.

Occasionally, a physical or x-ray examination of the chest reveals that the heart is larger than it should be. By itself, this does not mean anything, but it is an occasion for a more detailed examination of the heart. If symptoms of a violation of its work are found, we can talk about making a diagnosis of an enlarged heart, or cardiomegaly. Both all four chambers of the heart, and one of them can be enlarged.

Symptoms of an enlarged heart

• Shortness of breath can occur during exertion and at rest.
• Increased fatigue, lowering the threshold for exercise tolerance.
• Hypertension.
• Swelling of legs, ankles.
• Pain.
• Loss of consciousness in more serious cases.

In general, the symptoms of an enlarged heart are not particularly different from those of other heart conditions. They appear as a result of insufficiency and congestion that has arisen as a result of an increase in the heart. In adults, in most cases, cardiomegaly is associated with an increase in the ventricles of the heart. Only the left, only the right, or both ventricles can be enlarged. More often, more serious consequences are caused by left ventricular hypertrophy. If the left ventricle is enlarged, this leads first to an enlargement of the outflow tract. The heart becomes elongated downward, and the contour of the left ventricle is rounded. Further, the path of blood flow also increases, the outlines of the heart change: the heart is enlarged to the left, takes the form of a duck.

Causes of an enlarged heart

• Other heart diseases.
• Chronic diseases.
• Alcohol and drug poisoning.

Cardiomegaly can lead to heart disease, which is characterized by congestion. A transferred myocardial infarction can leave a mark in the form of an aneurysm of the left ventricle, respectively, its increase. Acute pericarditis may resolve with fluid accumulation in the pericardium, which also causes cardiomegaly.

Among other diseases, episodes of rheumatism and associated heart murmurs play an important role. Elevated blood pressure, even intermittent, can cause left ventricular hypertrophy. Arterial hypertension is the most common cause of congestion in the heart, which causes enlargement of the heart and heart failure.

Of the chronic diseases, diabetes mellitus has a great impact on the heart. It can lead to myocardial dysfunction. Diabetics have an increased predisposition to coronary disorders, and coronary heart disease often develops in adulthood. All this leads to an increase in the heart. The combination of diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension is especially unpleasant, since the risk is doubled.

Even the common flu or other viral illness can cause the heart to enlarge. Because infections may well be complicated by viral myocarditis, which also often leads to cardiomegaly.

Alcohol is a very insidious substance for the heart. You can often find recommendations that its regular intake in small doses helps cleanse blood vessels and keep the heart in good shape. Maybe the French can drink alcohol in small doses, but in our country regular drinking leads people to addiction too often. Then we are not talking about small doses. With regular use of alcohol for ten or more years, alcoholic cardiomyopathy often develops, leading to cardiomegaly.

Treatment of autoimmune myocarditis, malignant neoplasms with drugs can cause an increase in the heart due to the toxic effects of drugs.

An enlarged heart in a child requires special attention. Manifestations of weakness, sweating, anxiety in children can be symptoms of heart problems, including an increase in its size. Cardiomegaly in children may indicate congenital heart defects. An increase in the size of a child's fragile heart leads to stretching and weakness of its walls. This is fraught with dangerous consequences: firstly, it works with overvoltage, and secondly, there is even a danger of rupture of the walls of the heart. Treatment of an enlarged heart in such children is usually quite long and does not always bring results.

Enlarged heart treatment

The question of how to treat an enlarged heart is decided, of course, by a cardiologist. It is very important to determine the cause of cardiomegaly, to identify diseases, the consequences of which it could become. Medications are prescribed to support the heart, the diet and exercise are verified together with the patient, depending on the manifestations. The main efforts in the treatment are aimed at reducing the load on the ventricles, eliminating barriers to outflow and blood flow. Proper and timely treatment reduces the risk of dangerous complications: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, fainting occurs less often, arrhythmia and shortness of breath decrease. If drug therapy does not help, the symptoms of heart damage increase, they resort to surgical intervention, ventricular myotomy. As a result of this operation, the blood flow improves significantly, but it should be addressed only in extreme cases, because it is very risky.