enlarged heart

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Q: enlarged heart?
If you have an enlarged heart, are there other things that can possibly go wrong with it because of it being enlarged? If so, what are they??

A: large hearts are bumped out of rhythm easy i know i had one 10 years ago, yes i still walk and talk like any other duck or person .it can shorten your breath lung on one side doesn’t inflate all the way . albuterol helps in breathing it an inhaler.hope this helps . don’t expect to be at full function in exercising . quit smoking drinking alcohol not good either .

Q: Enlarged Heart?
My 1yr old male rottie has been having some medical problems and after a x-ray I was told he has an enlarged heart. The vet made it sound as though it was no big deal and he said the only thing I need to do is not put to much stress on my dog. Before this diagnosis my dog and I were very active such as going on long walks, hikes, trips to the doggy park and things like that.
I am very concerned about how serious the enlarged heart really is and I would like to know any information people can provide me on this diagnosis.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

A: Usually an enlarged heart is the result of the heart having to work too hard to pump the blood. My dog had a heart valve problem, which led to an enlarged heart, fluid in his lungs, and kidney failure. An enlarged heart can crowd the other organs. Watch your dog very carefully. If he seems tired after being active for short periods, it could be getting worse. If he passes out, or stumbles after getting excited, that is called syncope, and it means he isn’t getting enough blood to his brain. I’m not trying to scare you. If your dog seems healthy now, he probably won’t have any problems. Dogs can live for many years with this problem. Our neighbor’s dog lived until 10 with something similar, while our dog only lived to 2. Good luck.

Q: How does heart rate change with enlarged or smaller heart?
In another word, when pumbing function is lesser, the heart tends to enlarge to pumb more blood to the body and vice vesa. Does heart beats always reduce or increase when the heart enlarges or restores back to its normal size?

If so, a patient takes medicine to slower heart beats, will it cause the enlarged heart as the result? and again if a patient doesnt take pills for heart beats then can the heart return to normal size with a little more HR?

Thanks.

A: When systolic function (pumping) declines the heart tends to beat faster to try to compensate for the systolic function. This leads to hypertrophy of the heart muscle (the heart is putting in more effort to pump so it enlarges, just like if you lift weights your arm muscles will enlarge) The problem with the heart beating fast is that it doesn’t have enough time to fill up with blood. Medications are given to slow the heart rate so that the heart has time to fill with blood and then pump that blood out to the rest of the body.
Once the heart is enlarged (no matter what the cause) it will not return to it’s original size. Remember that the heart enlarges due to the fast heart rate not the other way around.
Hope this makes sense!

Q: What causes an enlarged heart in a dog? Is this more common in mini schnauzers?
My sweetie just was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, and has trouble breathing. He also has a bit of fluid in his lungs. He was perscibed Lasix, and now he’s back to his old self- at least somewhat. What causes the enlarged heart?

A: Schnauzers are not more prone to enlarged heart than other breeds. This can be caused by several things, the most common being an overweight dog, or a high fat diet, and lack of exercise. The heart gets bigger because it has to pump harder to circulate the blood. It can also be caused by a problem in the heart valves (like a murmur), or by lung disease. The fluid in the lungs is a side effect of the heart not circulating blood effectively. The lasix is usually a lifetime treatment. The other things that can help are changing to a quality high protein, low fat diet, help him lose weight, and take him for a long walk each day.

Q: Why is an enlarged heart bad for your health?
People with an enlarged heart are at greater risk of heart problems. Why is this? You’d think that a bigger, stronger heart would be good for you health, because blood can presumably be pumped round the body more easily.

A: Well, its bigger, so it can take up more space, and it can bet pressured, your blood pressure can go through the roof and it just isn’t good. My dog had an enlarged heart and then she died of a heart attack . Good question tho. But yeah, it does also take more energy to pump the blood everywhere and get it back to the heart. Bigger also doesn’t necessarily mean stronger. Bigger is a size. Stronger has to do with conditioning.

Q: How long does it take for a heart to become significantly enlarged?
My mum has a significantly enlarged heart, the cause is unknown at the moment and i was just wondering if anyone knows how long it would take for a heart to become enlarged.

Thanks

A: First of all you let me know does she suffers from hypertension or does it runs in the family?
It takes almost 2 years of uncontrollable hypertension.
Varies from person to person, and underlying cause/disease/s.

Q: Tim Russert’s enlarged heart – could ultrasound or other imaging have detected it earlier?
“an autopsy had found that Mr. Russert had an enlarged heart and significant coronary artery disease.” Does that mean he didn’t have regular health check up? Shouldn’t this be caught before it’s too late? Can ultrasound or other imaging find out a heart is enlarged?

A: They already reported that Russert had known coronary heart disease but that he was ‘controlling’ it with medications and exercise. Sometimes all the treatment in the world won’t help you if you don’t change your diet. If a plaque bursts, you really hit a bad break. His vessels may not have been that narrowed. A lot of people have mild cardiac enlargement and don’t drop dead at 58. His body combined with diet and bad luck to create the perfect storm.

An echocardiogram (ultrasound) or MRI could have shown the problem. Even a standard chest X ray can detect cardiac enlargement that would likely be obvious to a pathologist at autopsy. He probably had at least one of these tests, but one of the following happened:

- he didn’t have the heart enlargment at the time of the tests
- the skill level of the interpreting physician was too low to make the diagnosis
- there was some problem with the quality of the tests

If you or any family member get an imaging study, try to get at least one other physician (who reads that type of study) to give you a second opinion if possible, with the help of your insurance company or primary care physician.

Q: What does the doctor mean when he says you have an enlarged heart?
Is it very dangerous? I know two people who were told they have an enlarged heart. One because of sports he plays and one because he is old. If he stops the sports, will his heart become normal? The person who is old doesn’t do hardly anything. How could he get his heart back to normal? Should they be taking medicine for this?

A: Athletes sometimes have some thickening of their heart wall and some wierd EKG changes, but it may still be within the range of normal for them. If they are able to perform well, it is hard to say they have a problem. But occasionally when we thought they were OK, they drop dead during performance. Its best that they be evaluated by a cardiologist. They don’t always know for sure either, but they know more than the rest of us. As far as the older guy who can’t get around well, he has a problem. He needs a thorough evaluation by a cardiologist. Needs to make sure he doesn’t have any heart attacks to further weaken his heart. If he has a valve problem, it may need to be corrected surgically. Most of them are on ACE inhibitors or ARB drugs to dilate the arterioles and reduce “afterload” on the heart. Most are on a low salt diet. Digoxin (Lanoxin), which is originally a derivative from the foxglove plant, helps alot of these folks, helps their heart to beat stronger. If they swell up with fluid, they need Lasix (furosemide), a diuretic, and then they will need potassium because the lasix knocks out the potassium. Many will live a fairly long life this way, but if it gets progressive, they will need a heart transplant, which is hard to come by. They need to walk to get some exercise, but they need to get plenty of rest and not overexert. Big feasts on the holidays tends to stress them out and overload them with salt, which often puts them into overt pulmonary edema and in the ER. Eating too much stresses them just as much as exercising too much.

Q: What is the worse sceanrio for someone with an enlarged heart?
I am just learning about my diagnosis an enlarged heart but I would like to know what am I up against? I am constantly fighting for breath and constant fatigue and worse part is the constant heavy pressure in the middle of my chest. Dizziness plays a role as well. Anyone out there with some definite answers to where I might be heading?

A: depends on what the cause is, an enlarged heart on it’s own isn’t harmful but it’s usually a sign of something else.

Q: What’s the difference between a large heart and and enlarged heart?
My 79 year old mother was told she has a BIG heart. They also said it’s nothing to worry about. What is the difference between someone with a large heart, and someone with an enlarged heart?

A: A large heart means that this person heart size itself has been large compared to the average heart size since birth and usually that is normal.
An enlarged heart is a condition where the heart become larger than it is previous size and usually it is pathological condition.

Q: Is the a link between super ventricular tachicardia and an enlarged heart?
I was diagnosed with svt over 5 years ago, and have recently been experiencing breathlessness and fatigue. I went for tests and they have found me to be border line for an enlarged heart and i will be soon undergoing an ecg aswell as other tests. Obviously I am worried and was wondering if anyone has any information on this, or if the two are linked.

A: yes

Q: How can a baby be tested for an enlarged heart?
I have a cousin who lost her 9 mo old baby last night. He had the flu and was later given the flu shot and got the flu again. He went back to the doctor for an ear infection and was sent home. The next day he was scheduled for a cat scan. During the cat scan he died. It was later said that he had an enlarged heart. Was there anyway the doctors could have tested for this earlier?

A: an echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart.

Q: What is the life span of someone with an enlarged heart?
My mom doctor told her her heart was slighty enlarged. She does have high blood pressure.
She does not smoke,drink or do drugs.

A: Cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, can happen for many reasons. If this occurred as a child for congenital reasons, then the life expectancy is poor. If this occurred as a result of drug abuse or came on suddenly (cardiomyopathy), that too is not good.

From your statements, “…slightly enlarged” you’re saying that this came on from heart failure (most likely from the excessive blood pressure). The doctor can help her control the blood pressure, thereby removing the stimulus for continued enlargement. If she had no other health problems, she could live a long natural life. Again, it is vitally important that she keep the blood pressure under control.

Ralph

Q: Does being overweight have anything to do with an enlarged heart?
My husband (45 y/o) had an EKG today and told he had an enlarged heart. He is going to have a CT but he is overweight. Does anyone know or have exp with this or have it and is overweight and what were you told? What is there to be expected with the enlarged heart? Will he be ok?

A: Go with what your Cardiologist tells you and, stay with his advise. I’m not going to interject something as long as you’ve already seen doctors. Your on the right tract, stay there you’ll be O.K.

Q: If you have an enlarged heart can you take the nicotine gum?
I have an enlarged heart and take beta blockers to regulate it with my grave’s disease. I still smoke about 12 cigarettes a day. Can I try to quit with the nicotine gum?

A: yes anything to stop smoking, try patches, I smoke for forty years I quit. ask yourself this if you want to live stop , if want to die lite up good luck

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