2007-02-27 10:27:33 · 8 answers · asked by brown89127 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
Clinically by 1. Inspection 2. palpation and 3. auscultation of the precordial region of the chest.
By EKG and Ultrasound examination a very accurate assesment of the degree of enlargement is obtained.
Hope this answers your question.
2007-03-03 06:25:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An enlarged heart can be detected clinically directly by:
Displaced apex beat
Enlarged "scratch test"
There are other things to look for which amount to circumstantial evidence of enlarged heart - ie. signs of heart failure.
Apex beat - see the wiki page
The scratch test is a set of little known clinical tests out of favour these days purely because of inconsistency.
It relies on the physics phenomenon that sound is transmitted through solids best, liquids less so, and gas quite poorly.
To do a scratch test measurement of the heart - place the stethoscope at the base of the heart and lightly scratch the skin above the apex beat. You should be able to hear the scratching sound. Move laterally and scratch and continue to do so until the scratching is no longer heard. This is the lateral border of the heart (approximately). Now place the stethoscope there and listen for the scratch at the base of the heart and continue medially until you find the medial border. This is an approximation of the heart size. It would generally be considered enlarged if it is bigger than 1/2 the total width of the chest.
However it is quite inaccurate (not to mention somewhat embarrassing to perform on female patients). The inaccuracy arises from the fact that many underlying structures (eg ribs, pericardial effusion) may also transmit the sound well and give an erroneous impression of enlarged heart size.
CXR would be the simplest and most accurate way to measure the heart size. An ECG is another inexpensive way to detect enlargement of the heart (EKG for the Yanks).
Other tests (which are more expensive and specialized) can do the same - eg. ECHOcardiography, CT or MRI of the chest, nuclear medical scans etc. CXR would be preferred.
The auscultation of a heart murmur does not equate to cardiomegaly.
2007-02-27 18:30:58 · answer #2 · answered by Orinoco 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Symptoms of an enlarged heart are, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, swollen ankles, feet, and hands. An enlarged heart dosen't pump effectively, so fluids gather at dependent places (feet) quickly.
2007-02-27 21:40:18 · answer #3 · answered by mop-27 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get an echocardiogram, it will show if you have one. Our best friend died instantly from an enlarged heart that he never knew he had. He was 36.
2007-02-27 18:31:58 · answer #4 · answered by Firefighter EMT 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A heart Murmur , heard with a stethoscope
2007-02-27 18:33:01 · answer #5 · answered by shitstainz 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
When your heart hurts and it feels too big for your chest
2007-02-27 18:31:53 · answer #6 · answered by femmi 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Obviously you would know if it was bulging out of your chest.
2007-02-27 18:30:59 · answer #7 · answered by Petri 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
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2007-02-27 18:30:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋