Enlarged heart: causes, possible pathologies, treatment. Causes of an increase in the size of the heart

An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) is a condition in which the heart is larger normal size. It's not a disease, but rather a feature heart, which is explained past illnesses and other health problems. If you think your heart may be enlarged, this article will guide you through the diagnosis and treatment.

Steps

Establishing diagnosis

Find out the causes of an enlarged heart. Many diseases can cause the heart to enlarge: these are diseases of the heart valves or heart muscles, arrhythmia, weakening of the heart muscle, accumulation of fluid around the heart, high blood pressure, and pulmonary hypertension. In addition, an enlarged heart can be the result of diseases. thyroid gland or chronic anemia. It may also be associated with big amount iron or proteins in the heart that shouldn't be there.

Know possible factors risk. Some people are more likely to have an enlarged heart. If you have high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, congenital heart disease, valvular disease or did you have heart attack you are at risk. The chance is also higher if someone in the family already had an enlarged heart, since this feature is inherited.

Examine the symptoms. Although enlargement of the heart is not a disease, people with this problem may show some symptoms - arrhythmia, shortness of breath, dizziness and cough. Symptoms can be different - it all depends on the underlying cause of the enlarged heart.

Explore possible complications. An enlarged heart can lead to certain consequences. You will be at higher risk of blood clots and cardiac arrest. In addition, the heart rhythm may be disturbed, which is explained by the fact that the blood runs into obstacles, and the rhythm goes astray. If nothing is done about it, it can lead to death.

Get a diagnosis. There are many ways to diagnose an enlarged heart. An x-ray is usually taken first, which allows the doctor to assess the size of the heart. You may also have an echocardiogram and an electrocardiogram if an x-ray does not allow a diagnosis. In addition, your doctor may suggest that you have a stress ECG, a CT scan, or an MRI.

Lifestyle changes

1. Change your eating habits. One way to reduce the severity of symptoms and fight the causes of an enlarged heart is to proper nutrition. You should eat foods with low content saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol. Include more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and lean protein in your diet.

   Go in for sports. Try to allocate more time for exercise. Your doctor may recommend different types load - everything will depend on the reasons that caused the increase in heart. You may be shown light aerobic and cardio activities (walking, swimming) if you have a weak heart that cannot withstand intense exercise.

   Get rid of bad habits. With an enlarged heart, it will be useful to give up some habits, or at least minimize them. Quit smoking as soon as possible, as nicotine puts a strain on the heart and blood vessels. Do not drink a lot of alcohol and caffeine as these substances disturb the heart rhythm and affect the heart muscle.

   See your doctor more often. After starting treatment, you will need to see your doctor regularly. This way you can monitor the condition of your heart and always know whether it has worsened or improved.

Surgical intervention

Discuss possible installation auxiliary devices. If your enlarged heart is causing serious heart failure or arrhythmias, your doctor may order an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). This device is about the size of a matchbox. It allows the heart to beat in its usual rhythm due to electrical discharges.

Consider heart valve surgery. If an enlarged heart is the cause of the valve problem, your doctor may suggest a valve transplant. During the operation, the surgeon will remove the narrowed or damaged valve and replace it with a new one.

Talk to your doctor about other surgeries. If you have an enlarged heart due to unhealthy arteries, you may need coronary stents or coronary artery bypass grafts. If you have had heart failure because of your enlarged heart, your doctor may recommend that you have a left ventricular assist device installed. This device will help weak heart pump blood.

All people, without exception, should systematically undergo general examination in the clinic, it allows you to timely determine the development various violations and correct them when found. So, during such a physical examination, doctors can suddenly detect some changes in the condition of the heart - the main vital important body in our body. Possible pathologies in its activity include an increase in the heart, the causes and symptoms of which we will consider, as well as how it is treated and prevented.

In most cases, a slight increase in the size of the heart is not considered as a dangerous pathology. Nevertheless, similar violation requires close attention and, if necessary, adequate correction.

Reasons for an enlarged heart

There are a number of factors that can provoke a noticeable increase in the heart. Similar state can be caused by chronic ailments, heart pathologies, drug and alcohol poisoning.

From chronic pathologies particularly affects the heart diabetes capable of causing myocardial dysfunction. Diabetics often have coronary disorders, so in adulthood they may be diagnosed with coronary heart disease. In the event that a patient is diagnosed with both diabetes mellitus and an increase in blood pressure, the likelihood of an enlarged heart increases several times.

Among cardiac pathologies, the symptoms of rheumatism, as well as the heart murmurs that are associated with them, can affect the enlargement of the heart. Even a changeable increase in blood pressure can lead to hypertrophy (increase) of the left ventricle.

Sometimes an increase in the size of the heart becomes the result of stenosis and insufficiency mitral valve, hereditary features, congenital malformations and aortic stenosis (pathological narrowing of the aorta). Besides similar pathology can occur due to acute and chronic pulmonary ailments. There is evidence that hypertrophy can be the result of any infections and inflammations of the organs of the respiratory system.

As practice shows, one of the most common factors that can lead to an increase in the heart is alcohol abuse. Still quite dangerous is the influence of strong and systematic stress.

How does an increase in the heart manifest itself, what symptoms indicate this?

A slight increase in the size of the heart may not particularly manifest itself. However, such a pathology is almost always accompanied by the appearance of shortness of breath. With a pronounced increase in the size of the heart, the patient is worried about shortness of breath in the supine position and with excessive physical activity.

Quite often, cardiac hypertrophy is manifested increased swelling, which is explained by the deterioration of full blood circulation. Edema can be localized on the legs and on the abdomen, sometimes they are disguised as an increase in body weight.

Among possible manifestations an increase in the size of the heart is an arrhythmia - an insufficiently regular heartbeat. Such a violation may be accompanied by other changes in well-being, represented by fainting, pre-syncope, chest pain, shortness of breath and palpitations.

In some cases, an increase in the size of the heart is manifested by chest pain and cough, in which separation can be observed. significant amount frothy and watery sputum. Sometimes blood is seen in the discharge.

Also, the symptoms of an enlarged heart include banal excessive fatigue and apathy.

How is the enlargement of the heart corrected, how effective is its treatment?

Treatment of heart enlargement depends primarily on the factors that caused such a violation. Extremely important role plays the adoption of measures to slow down the processes of hypertrophy. For example, if the patient is too sedentary image life, does not eat properly and has a number of bad habits, it is worth radically changing the way of life. With hypertrophy, it is necessary to engage in physical education, the best option will be swimming, brisk walking and aerobics (but only after consulting a doctor). The diet should include enough products rich in useful unsaturated acids, vitamin substances and minerals (especially magnesium, calcium and potassium).

With regard to drugs, they are primarily aimed at full recovery myocardial nutrition, as well as optimization heart rate. It is extremely important to eliminate all kinds of bad habits.

Patients with an enlarged heart are shown diet food. It helps to deal with overweight and improve the overall health of the body.

IN certain situations enlargement of the heart is an indication for surgical intervention such as ventricular myotomy. Similar treatment allows you to improve blood flow by an order of magnitude, but it is carried out only in extreme cases.

Is heart enlargement preventable, prevention will help it?

The main method of preventing cardiac hypertrophy is correct image life and daily performance of various physical exercises (general strengthening exercises). However, it is worth noting that in case of illness, the optimal intensity of exercise should be selected exclusively by a doctor, especially in the presence of heart disease.

Also, the prevention of heart enlargement consists in controlling blood pressure indicators and systematic visits to the doctor for monitoring. general condition health. Such measures will help to notice the impending threat in time.

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Causes of an increase in the size of the heart

It could be overload on the heart muscle or malformations of the heart or blood vessels.

Relatively safe causes of overgrowth of the heart muscle

Enlarged heart - a peculiar distinguishing feature people whose body is 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 ordinary person and athlete

If the volume of the heart exceeds 1200 cm 3, doctors may prohibit the person from continuing to engage in professional sports.

In the same way, a large load on the myocardium occurs during pregnancy and childbirth. If other signs of illness of cardio-vascular system absent, no treatment is needed.

Pathological causes of heart enlargement

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.

Signs:

Cardiomyopathy

Enlarged heart - basic clinical sign these diseases.

There are several types of cardiomyopathy:

• dilatational,
• 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.

Click on photo to enlarge

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.

Click on photo to enlarge

Ebstein anomaly - underdevelopment of the tricuspid valve and its displacement into the right ventricle. Expanded right atrium And top part right stomach.

Causes of valve defects:

Symptoms of valve defects:

Inflammatory diseases

Myocarditis

Symptoms of myocarditis:

When the disease progresses to chronic form signs 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.

Symptoms:

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

Amyloidosis

This rare disease with unknown reasons. 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 healthy patient and a patient with amyloidosis

Diagnostics

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

Further diagnosis may include ECG, Holter monitoring, various analyzes blood.

Treatment

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

Disease	How is it treated
Arterial hypertension	Taking antihypertensive drugs (beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, etc.)
Defect interventricular septum	Surgical correction.
Dilated cardiomyopathy	Complex. May include ACE inhibitors, diuretics, beta-blockers, aldosterone inhibitors, digoxin, indirect anticoagulants. If arrhythmias occur, a defibrillator-cardioverter can be installed. But treatment does not completely eliminate the risk of death. The only way complete cure diseases - organ transplantation.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy	Limitation physical activity. Appointment of ACE inhibitors and angiotensin 2 receptor antagonists, as well as beta-blockers and antiarrhythmic drugs. To eliminate the risk of fatal arrhythmias, a cardioverter defibrillator is installed.
Metabolic cardiomyopathy	Rejection of bad habits. Taking drugs to restore metabolism. These can be hormonal drugs, enzymes, anti-enzymes, metabolites, cofactors, vitamins, amino acids, etc.
aortic stenosis	Valve replacement.
mitral stenosis	valve prosthetics.
Ebstein anomaly	With asymptomatic course, treatment is not carried out. If signs appear, plastic reconstruction or prosthetics of the tricuspid valve is performed.
Myocarditis	Antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory. Exclusion of physical activity until complete recovery. Symptomatic treatment complications (ACE inhibitors, antiarrhythmics, etc.)
Exudative pericarditis	Subtotal pericardectomy - cutting the pericardial sac.
Amyloidosis	Assign Melphalan, Prednisolone, Talomid, Dexamethasone, Lenalidomide. But even a heart transplant does not help completely cure the disease.

Forecast

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

• At 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 insufficiency aortic valve, severe violations rhythm, 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.
• At hypertrophic cardiomyopathy- relatively unfavorable. With asymptomatic disease, patients die before the disease is detected. At correct therapy the risk of death is reduced.
• With metabolic cardiomyopathy, the prognosis is favorable. With the establishment of metabolism, complete recovery occurs.
• At aortic stenosis untreated, life expectancy is 1 to 4 years from the onset of symptoms. With a timely operation, the prognosis is relatively favorable.
• If not treated mitral stenosis, 50% of patients die within 5 years from the onset of the first signs. 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.
• At exudative pericarditis- favorable. All operated patients recover.
• With amyloidosis - unfavorable. The maximum life expectancy is 5 years from the date of diagnosis.

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Causes of left atrial hypertrophy and treatment for an enlarged heart

This pathology often occurs as a result of genetic defects (hereditary predisposition). Some of the most common triggers are high blood pressure and obesity.

For other reasons that can increase left half include the following factors:

• Stenosis and insufficiency of the mitral valve. These diseases often provoke inflammation of the left atrium;
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - thickening of the ventricles (hereditary pathology);
• Aortic stenosis - abnormal narrowing of the aorta;
• Acute and chronic lung diseases. Any infections and inflammations of the respiratory system can lead to hypertrophy;
• Stress.

Symptoms of heart disease

In addition to an increase in a certain department, there will certainly be other signs of a violation. First of all, they depend on the degree of violation. For example, minor changes can be completely asymptomatic.

Often this problem accompanied by chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and abnormal heartbeat. Patients find it difficult physical labor. Excessive strain may cause shortness of breath.

Enlarged heart: left ventricular hypertrophy on x-ray

The reasons are similar to a violation in the corresponding atrium: high pressure(hypertension), aortic valve stenosis, cardiomyopathy, excessive exercise, obesity. The risk increases with muscular dystrophies and Fabry disease.

The disorder develops gradually. In the early stages of left ventricular enlargement, there are no symptoms, then there is shortness of breath, chest pain. A person gets tired quickly, suffers from dizziness, palpitations, and may faint.

Consequences of a pathologically enlarged left ventricle of the heart

As a result of violation suffers big circle blood circulation, which supplies blood to all organs and tissues. If left untreated, heart failure, arrhythmias, ischemic disease, heart attack. This condition is often the cause of sudden cardiac arrest.

That is why it is necessary to visit a cardiologist periodically. This increases the chances of detecting the disease early stage, eliminate its consequences and complications.

Right atrial hypertrophy

This part of the organ is highly dependent on the work of the lungs, so the pathology of the respiratory system leads to changes in the right atrium and its ventricle.

The most common reasons:

• lung diseases;
• Stenosis of the tricuspid valve;
• Tricuspid regurgitation (tricuspid valve insufficiency);
• pulmonary embolism;
• Congenital heart defects.

The same symptoms indicate a violation as with a lesion right side organ: fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid pulse.

Right ventricular hypertrophy

It should be noted that this pathology is very rare. Its appearance can be provoked by only four reasons: pulmonary hypertension, tetralogy of Fallot, stenosis pulmonary valve and ventricular septal defect.

As in other cases, initial stage does not show itself. With progression, breathing difficulties occur, accompanied by chest pain. Dizziness may result in loss of consciousness. There is also swelling of the legs.

In many ways, the symptoms of hypertrophy are similar to angina pectoris and coronary heart disease. That is why you need to see a doctor. Only a cardiologist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis after careful examinations, having received the results of the studies.

Treatment for heart enlargement

The asymptomatic course of the disease, which occurs in almost half of the cases of hypertrophy, is the greatest danger. Since the disease does not manifest itself in any way, the person continues to lead habitual image life, but the pathology progresses and may end sudden stop hearts.

A moderately enlarged heart, for example, also does not give itself away, but it is easy to detect using an ECG. Treatment is prescribed in any case, regardless of the stage of the deviation. It is advisable to take the course in conditions medical institution under medical supervision.

Therapeutic measures are also aimed at eliminating the root cause of the disorder. For example, if the heart is enlarged due to a congenital malformation, then surgical methods are applied, and then symptomatic therapy. Modern medicine is quite successful in eliminating congenital anomalies even in the smallest patients.

A number of measures should be aimed at slowing down the process of hypertrophy. For example, if a person leads a sedentary lifestyle, eats poorly, has bad habits, then taking any serious steps is absolutely useless. First you need to change your lifestyle. It is worth noting that physiological hypertrophy in athletes focuses on how to increase heart rate and heart volume for greater endurance.

Patients with hypertrophy should go in for running, swimming, aerobics. They show moderate physical activity. As for the diet, it should include foods rich in omega-3 acids, vitamins, trace elements (magnesium, calcium, potassium).

These substances have a beneficial effect on the myocardium and metabolic processes in tissues. To restore the normal supply of oxygen to the blood, it is necessary to reduce increased loads(for athletes) or take long walks daily.

Medicines are prescribed in any case of the disease. The action of these is aimed at restoring the nutrition of the myocardium and normalizing the heart rhythm. These include antiarrhythmic drugs(pr. Verapamil), beta-blockers.

Take these drugs throughout life. Your doctor may prescribe angiotensin inhibitors and antihypertensive drugs(ex. ramipril, enalapril). Be sure to get rid of bad habits.

Since one of the causes of heart enlargement is obesity, in some cases it is necessary to deal with excess weight, because it increases the burden on the body. Such patients should limit salt, smoked, fatty, fried foods in their diet, consume more fresh fruits, sour milk. Completely exclude pastries, sweets, animal fats from the menu.

Food should be fractional. In addition, you need to drink 1.5 liters of plain water per day. The patient must monitor the intestines (regular emptying), because almost all useful material are learned with it.

If the heart is enlarged to the left, then only a doctor can say after thorough examination. For example, a person, having heard about his condition, may perceive it as a pathology of the cardiovascular system, although sometimes this happens with an increase in sugar levels and it is necessary to treat diabetes.

When conservative methods are ineffective, an operation may be indicated, consisting in the removal of an enlarged area. Surgical intervention is also resorted to in case of narrowing ductus arteriosus as well as congenital heart defects.

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Enlarged heart treatment

Depending on the degree of the disease, drugs are selected that help normalize the volume of the heart. The course of therapy often includes:

• diuretic drugs. Diuretics help lower pressure in the arteries. Usually prescribed "Furosemide", "Lizaks", "Trifas";
• anticoagulants. Reduce the risk of blood clots. For example, Warfarin, Angioks, Heparin are considered effective;
• angiotensin receptor blockers. Drugs that help restore the functions of the cardiovascular system. ("Losartan", "Valsartan", "Eprosartan");
• beta blockers. To reduce the pulse rate, apply Atenolol, Digoxin; Anaprilin.

In addition to treatment medicines, you will need to make adjustments to your usual lifestyle. For this it is recommended:

• to refuse from bad habits;
• minimize the consumption of salty, spicy, fatty foods;
• normalize weight;
• sleep at least 7 hours;
• perform daily physical exercise. Half an hour morning exercises help you lose weight, lift your spirits and general tone organism.

Surgical treatments for an enlarged heart

If conservative therapy does not bring results, and the patient's health continues to deteriorate, then the cardiologist recommends an operation. Depending on each specific case, a certain surgical intervention will be required:

• cardioverter defibrillator. A small device is implanted under the skin in the upper chest. With the help of this defibrillator, the heart rhythm is corrected;
• valve prosthetics. Damaged heart valve change to a new one in order to restore its normal functioning. The duration of the procedure is 3-6 hours;
• heart transplant is a last resort. First, the doctor puts the patient on the waiting list for transplantation. Average term waiting time varies from 200 days to a year. A successful operation makes it possible to live an additional 5-10 years.

medbooking.com What to take for heart pain

An enlarged heart can be diagnosed in both an adult and a child. However, do not forget that such a pathology in children differs in its causes, symptoms and treatment.

If during the planned preventive examination chest it is determined that the heart is enlarged on fluorography, then you should not panic in advance. It is recommended to go for a consultation with a cardiologist and understand the reasons that led to the changes.

The cause of an enlarged heart in an adult is more often the heart, sometimes the right one or both at once. In some cases, there is also an expansion of both atria. In this case, the organ is so deformed that it cannot function normally.

The expansion of the boundaries of the heart is called cardiomegaly. An increase in the chambers of the heart is often caused by the accumulation of metabolic products in the heart muscle, which means that true cardiomegaly develops.

Sometimes this phenomenon is found during excessive physical exertion, in pregnant women, in athletes. In this case, the expansion of the heart is not considered dangerous. More often, under load, the lower chambers increase, especially the left ventricle, since it is from it that blood is ejected into the systemic circulation.

The exact etiology of the problem is established after the diagnosis.

Important! The pathology found in a newborn is very dangerous, since about 35% of children with it die in the first three months of life, and 20% develop chronic left ventricular failure.

Heart disorders

Why is the heart enlarged? A number of reasons that lead to pathology have been identified:

• Pregnancy period.
• Diabetes mellitus with high blood pressure.
• Prolonged antibiotic therapy.
• Heart defects.
• Inflammatory processes in the region of the heart.
• Rheumatism, especially with congestion.
• Alcohol - it adversely affects the heart muscle and the entire body. With alcohol abuse for more than 10 years, there is a risk of development.
• High blood pressure- more often suffer people in old age, while the expansion of the heart to the left is fixed, since the left ventricle increases.
• Cardiomyopathy - the formation occurs due to the penetration of infection into the heart muscle or the abuse of alcohol, while the increase is small.
• Anemia.
• Renal failure.
• Pulmonary hypertension - increase right half hearts.
• Sports activities - athletes often experience an increase in the heart muscle, this is considered the norm. Dangerous Violations appear when the heart muscle becomes very large and training is irregular.
• Myocardial infarction - most often the entire myocardium increases, often an aneurysm is formed.

Expanded heart muscle

An enlarged heart is not often seen in the following reasons:

• muscle dystrophy.
• Loose closure of the tricuspid valve leaflets during contraction of the ventricles, while there is an increase in the heart muscle in diameter on the right.
• Diseases of the endocrine glands.
• - thickening of the walls of the left ventricle and dystrophy of the heart muscle often leads to stagnation of blood, and then to the expansion of the heart to the left.
• Infiltrative-restrictive cardiomyopathy is characterized by inextensible ventricular walls that resist filling with blood.
• A cancerous tumor or metastases going to the heart.
• Bacterial infections in the heart.

Symptoms

An increase in the heart muscle is manifested in relation to individual individual chambers, less often it is observed in all chambers. Pathology usually develops due to additional load to the body that has to carry out more work, than usual. That is muscle mass recruited with increased blood pumping. This is especially noticeable when inflammatory diseases lungs leading to oxygen starvation.

It is worth remembering that characteristic features there is no pathology, it is manifested by symptoms of diseases that led to its development. The following is most often seen:

• Severe shortness of breath even with little physical exertion.
• puffiness lower extremities and other parts of the body.
• Feeling of heaviness on the right side under the ribs.
• Pain in the head accompanied by tinnitus.
• High blood pressure.
• Dry, unexplained cough, which is aggravated by lying down.
• Pain in the retrosternal region on the left.
• Fast fatiguability.
• Dizziness up to loss of consciousness (the most rare symptom).

Attention! Often there are cases of asymptomatic course, then the pathology is detected by chance during a routine examination.

Enlarged heart in children

An enlarged heart in a child most often occurs with congenital malformations. In medicine, more than 90 defects have been identified, which are characterized by narrowing and insufficiency of valves, deformations of the heart itself or the vessels that feed it. All of them lead to circulatory disorders.

Separate birth defects become the cause of death of the child, so it is important to diagnose them in as soon as possible(from the first days of life to six months) to spend cardiac surgery treatment. This is done by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons.

In a child, an increase in the heart muscle can provoke diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, rheumatism and myocarditis different origin. Endocarditis and pericarditis in childhood occur much less frequently. In such situations, the increase is not observed immediately after birth, but is formed gradually.

Cardiomegaly in children

Diagnostics

IN modern medicine developed a large number of diagnostic methods detection of heart disease. The diagnosis begins with the collection of an anamnesis, which is based on the patient's complaints and examination. The doctor checks for chronic diseases, bad habits of the patient experienced surgical interventions. Further appointed following methods research:

1. Chest X-ray - the shadow of the expansion of the heart is well observed in the picture, stagnation of blood is detected.
2. Electrocardiography (ECG).
3. Echocardiography (EchoCG) determines the physical parameters of the heart muscle, including the size of the chambers, the presence of necrosis and ischemia of the heart.
4. Ultrasound of the heart muscle.
5. Computed tomography (CT).
6. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
7. Immunological and biochemical analysis blood, which determines the level of hemoglobin, bilirubin, urea, protein and hormones.

Important! The effectiveness of treatment directly depends on the correctness of the diagnosis and the cause of the disease. Therefore, before. than to treat pathology, the doctor carefully examines the results of tests and instrumental studies.

Diagnosis of the disease

Treatment

Treatment directly depends on the causes of the disease. All activities are primarily aimed at organizing healthy lifestyle life of the patient and elimination of the cause of the disease. The patient is recommended special diet, which excludes fatty, salty and spicy dishes, rejection of bad habits. The doctor prescribes special exercises.

Can be discharged the following drugs:

• Medications from the group of diuretics, which remove excess liquid from the body, thereby easing the load on the heart.
• Anticoagulants are drugs that block the formation of blood clots and eliminate the risk of ischemia or relieve its symptoms.
• Means for the normalization of cardiac activity.

Surgical intervention is indicated only in emergency cases when the patient's life is at risk. The most dangerous and neglected form is considered to be the "bull's heart", in this case only a transplant can help.

If violations occur against the background of valve pathology, then prosthetics are performed. At severe violations heart rate under the skin is installed pacemaker, which normalizes it.

Important! For prevention and additional therapy, traditional medicine is used..

Therapy of the disease

The heart is the most vulnerable human organ, its performance is affected by many internal and external factors. An enlarged heart indicates that there are certain problems in the body. Therefore, when showing unpleasant symptoms It is recommended that you immediately seek advice from a cardiologist who will prescribe necessary treatment otherwise the consequences can be disastrous.

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In some people, a chest x-ray or physical examination reveals that their heart is somewhat large sizes what it should be. Although this is not dangerous pathology However, it is still necessary to conduct a detailed examination of such a vital organ as the heart. And if during the examination symptoms of a violation of its work are revealed, a diagnosis is possible - cardiomegaly or an enlarged heart. With this diagnosis, both one chamber of the heart and all four can be enlarged.

More serious consequences most often occur due to left ventricular hypertrophy. If the left ventricle is enlarged, then this, first of all, increases the outflow of blood. The left ventricular circuit receives round shape and the heart lengthens downward. Then the shape of the heart changes, as the path of blood flow also lengthens. The heart is enlarged left side and becomes like a duck.

Causes of an enlarged heart

The main reasons causing an increase hearts, are chronic diseases, other heart ailments, drug and alcohol poisoning.

Diabetes mellitus has the greatest impact on the heart among chronic diseases, which leads to a failure in myocardial function. Diabetics are susceptible coronary disorders therefore, in adulthood, they often develop coronary heart disease. In combination, this leads to cardiomegaly, and if a patient has diabetes mellitus combined with blood pressure, then the risk of heart enlargement doubles.

An important role among other heart diseases is played by the manifestations of rheumatism and the heart murmurs associated with them. Even the fickle arterial pressure can cause left ventricular hypertrophy. congestion in the heart most often causes, leading to heart failure and cardiomegaly.

Alcohol has a very pernicious influence on the heart. Often in the open spaces of the network there are recommendations that the regular intake of alcohol in small doses helps cleanse the blood vessels and keeps the heart in good shape. However, often small doses of alcohol turn into large ones, which, with regular use for ten years or more, leads to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and then to heart enlargement.

Enlarged heart treatment

When treating cardiomegaly, it is very important to find out the cause of its occurrence, to determine the diseases that could lead to it. To maintain the heart, the cardiologist prescribes medications, together with the patient, adjusts the load and diet depending on the manifestations of the disease.

In the treatment of heart enlargement, the main efforts are directed to the elimination of obstructions to the outflow of blood and to reduce the load on the ventricles. Timely and proper management patients with a similar disease reduces the risk of such dangerous complications, as myocardial infarction and angina pectoris, and also reduces shortness of breath and arrhythmia.