Does anyone know anything about an enlarged heart?

Question

can a person keep the same active lifestyle they had before they found out?

Answer 1

This is quite serious... you need to consult a Doctor.

This usually happens to people who become overweight

Answer 2

There is plenty of information that you can find online about enlarged hearts (cardiomegaly). Your best bet is to Google cardiomegaly. The Mayo clinic, and Wikipedia (which by the way is where Naomi got her information she gave you) have some very good information and some other links. Depending on your base knowledge in Cardiology some explanations you will understand some will be a little more confusing. Now to your actual question about the active lifestyle. It really all depends why the person has the enlarged heart as to wether they can keep up the active lifestyle. The part of your question that I find interesting is the part about keeping the same active lifestyle "BEFORE THEY FOUND OUT". How did they find out? usually it can be picked up on a CXR. It would show an enlarged cardiac silhouette, and you can only get a CXR if a doctor has ordered it. Depending on how large the heart is he mat then order an ECHO which is essentially an ultrasound of the heart. It look at the valves of the heart and how well the walls of the heart are moving or basically how efficiently it is pumping blood to the body. If the enlargement was caused by an underlying disease process then more than likely the person will notice they won't be able to keep up the same activity. The heart is what will determine how active the person can be because it won't let the body be any more active than it ( the heart) can pump oxygenated blood to vital organs. At the Mayo Clinic site it gives you a list of some of the conditions that can enlarge the heart. There is even a larger list at . An important factor to remember is that cardiac muscle can stretch only so far before it sustains damage by weakening the myocardium and making it difficult for the heart to work efficiently. There is plenty of information on line for you to read up on that may help you answer your question better than any of us.

Answer 3

Since an enlarged heart is usually a symptom of something else that is causing the heart to work harder than normal, you really need to ask your doctor that question. Many conditions can cause an enlarged heart. Diet and lifestyle changes may be necessary, but it is your doctor who needs to tell you exactly what it means for you.

These links should help you. Take care.

Answer 4

It really depends on what has caused the enlargement and how active the lifestyle was in the first place...strenuous exercise should only be engaged in after consultation with a medical practitioner.

Brisk walking is usually recommended in cases where the enlargement is caused by elevated cholesterol levels.

Answer 5

The condition you are referring to is known as Cardiomegaly.It can be due to various reasons. Definitely an enlarged heart will have impact on the quality of life, if it is symptomatic.If not you can ignore and consult a crdiologist.If it can be treated medically...that's fine or surgical correction may be required

Answer 6

Cardiomegaly is a medical condition wherein the heart is enlarged. It is generally categorized in the following manner:

Cardiomegaly due to dilation
Cardiomegaly due to ventricular hypertrophy
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)
Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH)
Left atrial enlargement
It is not always negative; athletes often have enlarged hearts. However, it can often be associated with other serious medical conditions.

Answer 7

Recently, it was discovered that the drug Clenbuterol can effectively treat certain cases of enlarged heart. Ask your cardiologist.

Answer 8

enlarge heart is a condition called cardiomegally. it is normal in some persons but not in some. some athletes have bigger hearts
but are functioning normally. you can discuss the condition with
your cardiologist.

Answer 9

Heart disease - enlarged heart


The heart is a muscular pump about the size of a clenched fist. An enlarged heart isn’t a condition in itself, but a symptom of an underlying problem that is causing the heart to work harder than normal. The range of underlying problems falls generally into two main categories - pathological (linked to actual disease of the heart muscle disease) and physiological (linked to other causes which are overworking the heart muscle, such as high blood pressure or thyroid diseases). Older people are at increased risk. Another name for an enlarged heart is cardiomegaly.

Symptoms
In some cases, an enlarged heart is asymptomatic (has no symptoms). When symptoms do occur, it may be because the heart fails to pump blood effectively and this leads to a syndrome known as congestive heart failure. Symptoms may include:

Breathing problems
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Heart palpitations
Fluid retention.
A range of causes
Some of the many causes of enlarged heart include:
Coronary artery disease - fatty deposits or plaques build up inside one or more of the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis). This constant silting narrows the artery. This reduces the oxygen supply, which is the fuel for the pump.
Cardiac ischaemia - reduced blood flow to the heart. This condition can cause heart pain (angina).
High blood pressure (hypertension) - blood pumps with more force than usual through the arteries, which puts strain on the heart. Causes of high blood pressure include obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy - disease of the heart muscle, the cause of which is unknown. Enlarged or ‘dilated’ heart is one of the most common types of cardiomyopathy. Some of the symptoms include chest pain and fainting spells.
Myocarditis - an infection of the heart that is generally caused by a virus. A person may have a viral illness first and later have symptoms of congestive heart failure.
Heart valve disease - for example, a faulty mitral valve allows blood to flow backwards, which means the affected heart chamber has to contract with more force than usual.
Previous heart attack - a weakened heart muscle may enlarge in order to keep up with the demands of pumping blood around the body.
Thyroid disease - the thyroid gland regulates many metabolic functions. Untreated, a thyroid condition can lead to high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, irregular heartbeat and enlargement of the heart.
Obesity - carrying too much body fat is a risk factor for high blood pressure, which in turn can cause the heart to enlarge.
Lack of exercise - leading a sedentary lifestyle is a known risk factor for a range of conditions, including coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.
Old age - as we get older, our arteries lose some of their elasticity. This ‘stiffening’ of the blood vessels causes high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for enlarged heart.
Diagnosis methods
An enlarged heart is diagnosed using a number of tests including:
Medical history - including a physical examination.
Chest x-ray - this allows the doctor to see the overall shape and size of the heart and lungs.
Echocardiogram - sound waves sent to a special machine present a picture of the beating heart, so the doctor can see the heart as its chambers contract and relax.
Doppler ultrasound - shows bloodflow through the heart valves. This test is often performed in conjunction with the echocardiogram.
Electrocardiogram - measures electrical activity in the heart and can help diagnose an enlarged heart.
Treatment options
Treatment depends on the underlying cause but can include:
Medications to stop the heart from enlarging any further.
Treatment to address the underlying problem, such as diet, exercise and medication to help control high blood pressure, or surgery to replace a faulty heart valve.
Regular cardiovascular exercise.
Low fat diet.
Dietary adjustments to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Frequent medical check-ups to make sure the treatments are working.
Where to get help
Your doctor
Cardiologist.
Things to remember
An enlarged heart isn’t a condition in itself, but a symptom of an underlying problem that is causing the heart to work harder than normal.
Some of the many causes include coronary heart disease, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure and heart valve disease.
Treatment depends on the cause, but can include diet and lifestyle adjustments, medication and surgery.

Answer 10

YES YOU CAN , I THINK ALOT MORE EXERCISE AND BETTER DIET AND TAKE MEDICATIONS AS REQUIRED! LOWER YOUR SALT INTAKE TOO!