Diagnosis, symptoms, causes, effects, treatment

Heart swollen or known in medical terms as ‘Cardiomegaly ‘ This is a condition where the size of the heart is bigger than usual.

This condition is not a disease, but is a sign of a more serious health problem.

An enlarged heart can affect its ability to pump blood effectively, thus affecting the entire circulatory system in the body.

This condition can be detected through scanning such as chest x -ray, echocardiogram or heart MRI.

What is a swollen heart?

The heart is the most important organ in the body, working endlessly to ensure that blood circulates throughout the body.

However, sometimes, the heart may experience serious health problems, one of which is a swollen liver.

This condition occurs when the heart muscle thickens or space in the heart expands

This enlargement causes the heart to work harder to pump blood, and over time, it can lose its ability to function efficiently. This can cause more serious health problems such as heart failure.

There are various types of cardiomyopathy. The main types include dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic (hypertrophic) and restrictive (restrictive).

This situation is often ignored because of unclear symptoms in the early stages.

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Diagnosis

There are several tests that will be carried out to identify the actual causes and the level of swelling in the heart, depending on clinical examination by the doctor.

Electrocardiogram Examination (ECG):

• ECG is an initial test for most heart patients. This can detect changes in the thickness of the heart wall, the possibility of coronary blood vessels, and problems with the heart rhythm.

Blood Test:

• Blood tests can provide information about the number of red blood cells, signs of infection, mineral salt levels, and liver and kidney function.
• Blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and thyroid can also be detected through this test, because they are one of the factors that contribute to swollen heart problems.
• To detect a special swollen heart, test Peptida Natriuretic type B (BNP) This can distinguish whether the symptoms experienced by the patient are caused by the heart or other organs.

Imaging test:

• In addition, other imaging tests such as computerization of tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the heart are also possible.
• X-ray and echocardiographic tests are non-invasive examinations for all patients, regardless of age. This test can help the doctor know the size of the heart more accurately.
• Echocardiography is very important because it provides detailed information about the strength of the heart that pumps blood, the movement of the muscles of the wall, the valve structure, and the size of the heart space.

Source: daily news

SIMPTOM

Symptoms of swollen heart, or cardiomegaly, often not so ketara in the initial ranking.

Symptoms usually occur when the condition is getting worse and the function of the heart is affected.

If you have the following symptoms, it is important to get a doctor’s examination:

• Short breath: especially when doing physical activity or when lying down.
• Extreme fatigue: prolonged fatigue even after rest.
• Abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia): like too fast, slow, or uneven.
• Chest pain: may appear suddenly or during physical activity.
• Swelling of the feet, ankles, and stomach: due to accumulation of fluid (edema).
• Dizziness or fainting: occurs when the heart does not pump enough blood to the brain.
• Prolonged cough or foam: can show fluid that accumulates in the lungs.

The main cause of a swollen liver

There are various factors that can contribute to the enlargement of the heart. Understanding the cause is the key to effective treatment.

• High blood pressure (hypertension): This is the most common cause. High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder to pump blood, causing the heart muscle to thicken and grow.
• Coronary heart disease: This condition occurs when blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart muscle are blocked or narrow. The heart must work harder to get enough blood supply.
• Heart valve disease: When the heart valve does not function properly, whether it is too narrow or leak, the heart must do additional work to keep the blood flow smooth.
• Cardiomyopathy: This is a disease of the heart muscle itself that causes it to become weak or thick. This can be caused by genetics, viral infections, or excessive alcohol consumption.
• Anemia (lack of blood): Severe anemia forces the heart to work harder to ensure adequate oxygen reaches the whole body.
• Thyroid disease: both hypertension (thyroid too active) or hypothyroidism (less active thyroid) can affect heart health.
• Other factors: Obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, and drug and alcohol abuse can also contribute to this problem.

Side effects on health

Although this swollen heart condition is not a type of disease, if not treated immediately, it will have many bad effects and health complications, including:

• Heart failure: the heart cannot pump blood effectively, causing accumulation of fluid in the lungs, stomach and legs.
• Disorders of the heart rhythm (arrhythmia): Abnormal heart size increases the risk of uneven heart rate, which can be life threatening.
• Formation of frozen blood: Blood that does not move well has the potential to form a lump, which can cause a stroke or heart attack.
• Surprise Death: In severe cases, the heart is too weak to stop suddenly.

Treatment for swollen heart

There are several treatments given if you have been confirmed to have this heart problem:

• Medicines: Medicines will be given according to the cause of the heart swelling. Drugs are given more to treat high blood pressure and control blood vessels.
• Medical device: If the medicine is not effective, the doctor will choose to help medical devices.
• Surgery: Surgery will be done if the condition is worse and if the patient does not recover the drug given.

Ideally, if you have symptoms of heart disease, immediately to see a doctor to avoid worse conditions.

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