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Concept
Cardiomegaly
Summary
Cardiomegaly (sometimes megacardia or megalocardia) is a medical condition in which the heart becomes enlarged. It is more commonly referred to simply as "having an enlarged heart". It is usually the result of underlying conditions that make the heart work harder, such as obesity, heart valve disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), and coronary artery disease. Cardiomyopathy is also associated with cardiomegaly.
Cardiomegaly can be serious and can result in congestive heart failure. Recent studies suggest that cardiomegaly is associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death.
Cardiomegaly may diminish over time, but many people with an enlarged heart (dilated cardiomyopathy) need lifelong medication. Having a family history of cardiomegaly may indicate an increased risk for this condition.
Lifestyle factors that can help prevent cardiomegaly include eating a healthy diet, controlling blood pressure, exercise, medications, and not abusing alcohol and cocaine.
For many people, cardiomegaly is asymptomatic. For others, if the enlarged heart begins to affect the body's ability to pump blood, then symptoms associated with congestive heart failure may arise, including:
Heart palpitations – the irregular beating of the heart, usually associated with a valve
Severe shortness of breath (especially when physically active)
Chest pain
Coughing, when lying down
Fatigue
Leg swelling
Increased abdominal girth
Weight gain
Edema – swelling
Fainting
The causes of cardiomegaly are not well understood and many cases have no known cause. Lifestyle-related risk factors include tobacco use and high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Non-lifestyle risk factors include a family history of cardiomegaly, coronary artery disease (CAD), congenital heart failure, atherosclerotic disease, valvular heart disease, exposure to cardiac toxins, sleep-disordered breathing (such as sleep apnea), sustained cardiac arrhythmias, abnormal electrocardiograms, and cardiomegaly on chest X-ray.
Official source
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