You may be at increased risk of developing an enlarged heart if you have any of the following risk factors: High blood pressure. Having a blood pressure measurement higher than 140/90 millimeters of mercury. A family history of enlarged hearts or cardiomyopathy.

What patients are at risk for cardiomegaly?

You have a higher risk of developing cardiomegaly if you have:

• Family history of an enlarged heart.
• Heavy alcohol use or drug misuse.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• History of heart attacks, in yourself or family members.
• Sedentary lifestyle.

What is the most common cause of enlarged heart?

Any disease that makes your heart work harder to pump blood through your body can cause an enlarged heart. Just as the muscles of your arms and legs get bigger when you work them, your heart gets bigger when you work it. The most common causes of an enlarged heart are ischemic heart disease and high blood pressure.

Who is most affected by cardiomyopathy?

This occurs most often in adults ages 20 to 60. It is more common in men than women, but has been diagnosed in people of all ages, including children. Most people eventually develop heart failure. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by chronic, heavy alcohol use and nutritional deficiencies tied to alcoholism.

Which person has the highest risk for developing heart failure?

Heart failure is most common in people over age 65, African-Americans, and women.

• Age. Heart failure risk increases with advancing age. ...
• Gender. Men are at higher risk for heart failure than women. ...
• Ethnicity. ...
• Family History and Genetics. ...
• Diabetes. ...
• Obesity. ...
• Lifestyle Factors. ...
• Medications Associated with Heart Failure.

Risk factors for coronary artery disease | Circulatory System and Disease | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

39 related questions found

What are the 6 main risk factors for cardiovascular disease?

Major Risk Factors

• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension). High blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. ...
• High Blood Cholesterol. One of the major risk factors for heart disease is high blood cholesterol. ...
• Diabetes. ...
• Obesity and Overweight. ...
• Smoking. ...
• Physical Inactivity. ...
• Gender. ...
• Heredity.

Can obesity cause cardiomegaly?

The cardiomyopathy of morbid obesity is characterized by cardiomegaly, left ventricular dilatation, and myocyte hypertrophy in the absence of interstitial fibrosis. It is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in these patients.

What causes cardiomegaly?

Cardiomegaly can be caused by many conditions, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, infections, inherited disorders, and cardiomyopathies. Dilative cardiomyopathy: This type is characterized by a wide, poorly functioning left ventricle, which is the heart's primary pumping chamber.

What are the risks of cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy can lead to serious complications, including:

• Heart failure. Your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. ...
• Blood clots. Because your heart can't pump effectively, blood clots might form in your heart. ...
• Heart valve problems. ...
• Cardiac arrest and sudden death.

Does high blood pressure cause cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

It occurs when your heart walls thicken and prevent blood from flowing through your heart. It's a fairly common type of cardiomyopathy. It can also be caused by long-term high blood pressure or aging. Diabetes or thyroid disease can also cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Why is cardiomegaly bad?

An enlarged left ventricle, one of the most serious types of enlarged heart, increases the risk of heart failure. In heart failure, your heart muscle weakens, and the ventricles stretch (dilate) to the point that the heart can't pump blood efficiently throughout your body.

Can ECG detect heart enlargement?

An ECG (electrocardiogram) records the electrical activity of your heart at rest. It provides information about your heart rate and rhythm, and shows if there is enlargement of the heart due to high blood pressure (hypertension) or evidence of a previous heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Can pneumonia cause cardiomegaly?

“An acute infection like pneumonia increases the stress on the heart and can lead to a cardiac event like heart failure, heart attack or arrhythmias,” said Weston Harkness, DO, a cardiology fellow at Samaritan Cardiology - Corvallis.

How is cardiomegaly diagnosed?

Diagnosis

1. Chest X-ray. X-ray images help your doctor see the condition of your lungs and heart. ...
2. Electrocardiogram. ...
3. Echocardiogram. ...
4. Stress test. ...
5. Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ...
6. Blood tests. ...
7. Cardiac catheterization and biopsy.

Is an enlarged heart Genetic?

Familial dilated cardiomyopathy is a genetic form of heart disease. It occurs when heart (cardiac) muscle becomes thin and weakened in at least one chamber of the heart, causing the open area of the chamber to become enlarged (dilated). As a result, the heart is unable to pump blood as efficiently as usual.

How does atherosclerosis cause cardiomegaly?

Causes of enlarged heart

This constant 'silting' is called atherosclerosis and it results in narrowing of the artery. This reduces the oxygen supply, which is the fuel for the pump. high blood pressure (hypertension) – blood pumps with more force than usual through the arteries, which puts strain on the heart.

What are 4 signs of cardiomyopathy?

Signs and symptoms of cardiomyopathy include:

• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing, especially with physical exertion.
• Fatigue.
• Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen and veins in the neck.
• Dizziness.
• Lightheadedness.
• Fainting during physical activity.
• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)

How do you prevent cardiomyopathy?

Other lifestyle changes

1. Quitting smoking.
2. Losing excess weight.
3. Avoiding alcohol and illegal drugs.
4. Getting enough sleep and rest.
5. Reducing stress.
6. Treating underlying conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Is cardiomegaly serious?

Outlook. Mild cardiomegaly isn't considered as serious as moderate or severe cardiomegaly. But for all forms of cardiomegaly, the focus should be on the underlying condition. Some mild forms are temporary, such as those caused by drug and alcohol abuse.

What causes an enlarged heart in a newborn?

Some cases of enlarged hearts in children are caused by valve problems. Valves that don't open properly, or valves that leak can create an extra stress on the heart, resulting in enlargement.

What causes an enlarged heart in an unborn baby?

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare type of heart failure. It occurs during pregnancy or immediately after delivery. The condition weakens the heart muscle and causes the heart to become enlarged. As a result, the heart can't pump blood properly to the rest of the body.

Does a fat person have a bigger heart?

Summary: Excessive body weight is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, a thickening of the heart muscle in the left ventricle, the heart's pumping chamber. The largest study of its kind helps explain why excessive body weight increases the risk for heart disease.

Can losing weight help enlarged heart?

Losing even a little weight can greatly improve heart and vascular health, boost heart function, lower blood pressure and improve metabolism.

Why is obesity a risk factor for CHF?

Obesity may result in heart failure by inducing hemodynamic and myocardial changes that lead to cardiac dysfunction, or due to an increased predisposition to other heart failure risk factors.

What are the 3 risk factors?

These are called risk factors. About half of all Americans (47%) have at least 1 of 3 key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Some risk factors for heart disease cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history.