When the heart is enlarged, there are changes in the structure and functionality of the muscle. The result: its performance is steadily declining. How to recognize such a cardiomyopathy and what causes can promote its development.
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Cardiomyopathy: What is an enlarged heart?
When the heart chambers enlarge or the heart chambers thicken, there is talk of an enlarged heart. This so-called cardiomyopathy may sound positive at first, but it damages your muscle and reduces its performance. Cardiomyopathy occurs in different forms:
- Dilated cardiomyopathy: It is the most common form of an enlarged heart. The pumping function is restricted, the heart chambers are enlarged. Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs as a result of infectious heart disease. Other risk factors that can cause this cardiomyopathy are severe high blood pressure or excessive alcohol and drug use.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A thickened musculature of the left ventricular walls while heart size and pump function are normal. The right ventricular walls are less commonly affected. Responsible for an increased pressure load on the heart muscle, for example due to high blood pressure or a heart valve defect .
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy: The elasticity of the left ventricle (restrictive cardiomyopathy) is greatly reduced – caused by the storage of a certain protein (such as amyloid) or by fibrous tissue. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is hereditary.
5 signs of an enlarged heart
If cardiomyopathy is present, the following symptoms occur depending on the form. Accordingly, the following symptoms occur with dilated and restrictive cardiomyopathy:
- shortness of breath
- Decreased performance
- cardiac arrhythmias
- water retention
- dizziness
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can go unnoticed for years because it initially causes no symptoms. If symptoms occur, the symptoms are similar to those of the other forms. Chest tightness, dizziness , fainting and, in severe cases, acute heart failure can also occur.
Treatment of cardiomyopathy
Treatment for an enlarged heart depends on the cause. If, for example, diseases such as an infection are responsible for the cardiomyopathy, it makes sense to take medication. If there is heart failure, ACE inhibitors may be advisable. If such conservative therapy measures fail, surgery to remove thickened tissue can be considered.
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Are big athletes’ hearts also at risk?
In athletes, the heart is usually also enlarged. But unlike cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart poses no danger to an athlete. With increasing size, performance also increases. In the case of pathological enlargement, the heart becomes larger, but the performance of the muscle decreases.
