These symptoms are not always present in each case cardiomegaly because there are also people who do not feel anything. If not severe, the patient may feel only mild symptoms for several years. However, if the severity increases, cardiomegaly can lead to shortness of breath that continues to worsen.
Cause Cardiomegaly
Some of the health problems that can lead to cardiomegaly are:
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Coronary heart disease
- Defective heart valve disease
- Cardiomyopathy or heart muscle disease
- Pericardial effusion or accumulation of fluid around the heart
- thyroid disorders
- Anemia
- A viral infection of the heart
- Cardiomyopathy in pregnancy
- HIV infection
- Kidney illness
- Amyloidosis diseases or diseases of protein in the blood circulation
- Hemochromatosis or iron overload
From a number of health problems above, hypertension and coronary heart disease are the two factors that most often causes cardiomegaly. In addition, cardiomegaly was also at risk of alcoholics and drugs as well as people who have a family history of swelling of the heart and cardiomyopathy.
Diagnosis Cardiomegaly
If you experience symptoms of cardiomegaly, see a doctor for examination. For severe symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain, or even fainting, medical action is urgently needed because these conditions can be a sign of heart attack. The doctor will also check using a stethoscope for an enlarged heart can make a sound that is not normal.
To determine the thickness of the heart muscle, size and pumping function, doctors can perform advanced test called an echocardiogram. In addition, to help find the cause of cardiomegaly, the doctor may do blood tests, especially in cases of congestive heart failure, HIV disease, and thyroid disorders.
Another method of examination can be performed to detect the occurrence of cardiomegaly is:
- Chest X-thorax (chest x-ray)
- CT scan
- MRI scan
- cardiac catheterization
- cardiac biopsy
Treatment Cardiomegaly
Cardiomegaly be better addressed as early as possible when symptoms are detected so that the success rate could be higher. Cardiomegaly Treatment may include medication or surgery, depending on the severity of the condition that caused it.
For example, doctors may prescribe drugs called angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and beta blocker medication (beta blockers) to treat high blood pressure. If the patient can not take the drugs because of a factor (especially ACE inhibitors), it is likely the doctor will replace it with drugs angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB).
To overcome the problems associated with pump function and cardiac rhythm, drugs such as digoxin and antiarrhythmic likely to be prescribed. If the patient is suffering from a stroke or heart attack, anticoagulant medication may be used to prevent blood clots. To reduce stress on the heart due to water and sodium, it is likely the doctor will prescribe diuretics.
Chances of treatment success cardiomegaly will be greater if it is supported by a change towards a healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercise, lose weight up to measure ideal, limiting salt intake, getting enough sleep every night (recommended 8 hours), stop smoking, and no, or minimal consumption of coffee and alcoholic beverages.
In addition, it is recommended to monitor blood pressure levels if you suffer from hypertension. If you have diabetes, regular checks on blood sugar levels should also be performed.
If the medication is not powerful enough to overcome the causes of cardiomegaly, then a surgical procedure is likely to be reached. For example, if cardiomegaly associated with abnormalities of the heartbeat, then the doctor can perform a surgical procedure implantation controlling heart rate (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator / ICD) in the case of heart rate that is too fast and left ventricular assist device / LAVD in the case of the heartbeat is weak.
For cases of coronary heart disease that can no longer be treated with medications, alternative measures taken with cardiac bypass surgery. Similarly, the application of the operation on a heart valve problems.
If the doctor sees that the problems at the heart of the underlying cardiomegaly can no longer be dealt with in any way, then the final solution usually is through a transplant or heart transplant.
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