Cardiomegalydescribes an enlarged heart.
Over time, this can cause the heart muscle to thicken and become stiffer.
Severe cardiomegaly can lead tocongestive heart failurein which the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently.
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Depending on the underlying cause, cardiomegaly may be temporary or permanent.
Types of Cardiomegaly
Cardiomegaly is the enlargement of the heart muscle, referred to ascardiac hypertrophy.
This reduces their ability to stretch and contract, leading tocardiomyopathy(heart muscle disease).
Diagnosis
Many different techniques are used to diagnose cardiomegaly.
Medications
Prescription drugs are commonly prescribed to ease pressure exerted on the heart and improve blood circulation.
Other medications may help reduce the risk of blood clotting and complications like a heart attack or stroke.
Some of these include:
Outlook
With proper treatment, cardiomegaly is manageable and sometimes even reversible.
The impact of cardiomegaly onlife expectancycan vary dramatically.
If cardiomegaly leads to aheart attack,the risk of death is roughly 28%.
Summary
Cardiomegaly is an enlarged heart.
Cardiomegaly can be mild or severe and permanent or reversible.
Depending on the cause, cardiomegaly may be treated with antihypertensive drugs, a pacemaker, or surgery.
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