Enlarged Heart

[Laura]

My husand is 49 years old and was told he has a mild to moderate enlarged heart from an echo cardiogram.  The size went from 6.0 centimeters to 6.3 centimeters in a 3 year period.  He has a history of extra heart beats caused by a virus that attacted the heart lining (Mono)about 15 years ago.  He is in excellent health and walks 6 miles every single day and has been for the past 15 years.  He has taken Corgard 20mg for the past 12 years.  His blood pressure seems to increase when his weight increases.   He was on Calan several years ago and stopped, until recently he took it for only 2 weeks prior to this recent echocardiogram (he had a reaction to it and had to stop).  Te Cariologist feels he should take Monopril 10mg a day and thinks the enlarged heart will be reduced to 5.7 to 5.9 centimeters.  He will go for another echo cardiogram in 6 months to be checked for the enlargement. Also, the Cardiologist feels the enlargement is due to poor blood pressure management over the past several years.  My husband has been taking the Monopril for the past 2 weeks and his blood pressure has been more stable (120/80 to 112/70).  Do you feel this is proper treatment for this aliment.  Could it be possible it is due to exercise (Athletic Hypertrophy) or left ventricular hypertropher? Have you seen Monopril reduce heart enlargement in a patient?  What is the normal heart size and when would it require surgery?  I would appreciate your reply as soon as possible!

Thank you, Laura

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

High blood pressure is one cause for heart enlargement.  A viral cardiomyopathy is another - so that's 2 strikes.  Athletic enlargement occurs in young highly competitive athletes and is unlikely in your husbands case.  The "remodeling" or shrinking the heart size controvery is still unresolved but unquestionably reducing the blood pressure is a good thing and will give the heart every opportunity to return to normal (i.e. about 5 - 5.5 cm).  Surgery is not generaly done for enlarged heart.

[bob]

What are usually dimensions of athletic heart,that is LVIDd, LVIDs and IVS?When is heart considered enlarged.Thank you.Bob

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

It's actually the walls of the heart that are enlarged, generally between 1 to 1.5 cm.

[Mike Schulte]

I recently had an uncle (not by blood) that died of an heart attack.  The doctors said he had an enlarged heart and died as a result of a massive heart attack.  He wasn't an active person or healthy eater.  I know that these conditions did not help him at all, but what actually causes an enlarged heart?  Is it hereditary and can it be prevented?

[Bridget]

Currently, what medications are used as treatment for patients with enlarged hearts?

[Georgia (George) Fee]

I am a 65 year old male in seemingly good health.  Years ago, as
a child in Arkansas,I was told I had an "Athletic" heart. I was always very good in sports, but also always too small.
In Sept. of 1996 I suffered a very mild heart attack. An Angiogram was done, but not Angioplasty. The Dr. decided it was ok to treat me with medication and diet. I had one vein (LAD)
70% plugged and two 50%. Six months later I had a much more severe heart attack. Angioplasty was performed, and splints were added.(3were used). I have recovered quite well, considering the Dr. said he thought he'd have to do a bypass, but he got 100% flow. I suffer no Angina, and only a small amount of edema.
I was told today "You have an enlarged heart" by a physician who checked my X-RAY for chest congestion.( I have the flu or some type viral attack. WBC was normal)
My EF, when last checked in June of 1999, was about 24%. Since then, I have began feeling much stronger, gained weight, and feel much better. What, if any, is the connection between the EF an
Enlarged Heart, and the simple fact that I feel great?

[Teresa]

My brother, who is fifty years old, also a diabetic on oral medication has recently been told he has an enlarged heart and was put on a blood thinner for the condition.  My question is with controlling his diabetic condition and also controlling his blood pressure better, can the heart go back to it's normal size?

[Sequanka]

I am a 22 year old college student. Lately  I were told that my heart is enlarged and that high blood pressure could have cause the heart to get large, but my blood test for high blood were negative. I eat fairly right, I execise when I have the energy.
I am preety scared our what might happen to me if the doctors don't react quick enough. I have also requested for the doctors to do further investigating, but they are moving very slow.
Any advie on what I can do rush the doctors or any advice on how to take care of myself.

[Jessica]

I am currently a high school student taking anatomy class.  My teacher was showing us a video on a doctor from Brazil who had been removing a part of the heart.  This procedure was done on patients who had enlarged hearts.  It was then experiment in England and part of the US.  I don't remember much but that is all I really Know.  Can sombody please help me with more information?