LVH- numbers on echo

[Clarissairene]

Hi there,

Can you tell me what the scale is or when docs start worrying about LVH. I know I read a number but cant seem to find it.

This is what my echo said and its just confusing me:

1-Left atrium 4.2 cm, midly dialated. Left ventricle 4.6cm
2-Mild LVH
3-Posterior wall 1.3 cm
4-no pericardial effusion
5-no gross mvp
6-no obvious clot
7-ejection fraction is estimated at 60%


I am trying to figure out which number up here is the LVH, is it the 4.2, 4.6 or 1.3. And if it is as mild as they say it is.

Thanks,

Clarissa

[Barbarella]

4.6 is the size of your left ventricular.  LVH means "left ventricular hypertrophy" which is "mild" in your case.  I've the same thing and the Cardiologist told me not to worry about it.  I would not worry about what # the important thing is, but that you take steps so it wont go from mild to further.

Do you have high BP? The Cardiologist told me in most cases its caused by high BP that's why its so important for people to take meds for high BP otherwise the LVH will go from mild to moderate and then severe.

If you do not have high BP ask the Doctor/Cardiologist what you can do about it.  If nothing, if you should have follow ups etc.  If they say don't worry then don't worry.  

I worry like crazy till I get the results, but once a Specialist like a Cardiologist tells me "don't worry, no follow up necessary" that is fine with me and I am out of there.  If I need follow ups, I get them and if he says "don't worry" that is fine with me too and I am on my way and wont give it another thought.

[tickertock]

the 1.3 cm postwall is the mild LVH, usually anything over 1.2cm is considered mild 1.2cm is borderline , I have mild LVH myself 1.4 cm or 14mm of the interventricular septum. It is usually caused by high blood pressure even mild prolonged HTN can cause it. If your doc says dont worry then dont , it is a common finding.Keep your Bp under control.

[Clarissairene]

Hi there,

You seem to be very knowlegable in your posts so I wanted to ask you a question. You say for LVH keep my bp down, and I keep reading that is the main cause. But I dont have high blood pressure. I am always 120/70. My pulse rate resting is around 75-85. So the cardio needs to find out what the cause is to help me out. I feel the cause is being overweight. I am 29 and weigh 246, last week i was 257 but since all this have lost 10 pounds (part stress part new healthy eating). So I need to be 90 pounds lighter. I feel like that is a major part of why my heart is over working. But my doc said maybe, maybe not. What else could it be if not High BP?

Also they noticed pro longed qt intervals (422 ekg and 478 on holter), would that have anything do with it? The regurgitation that i have is so mild they said taht wasnt it.

I have a stress test, another echo and an event monitor next week. Do you think with all this they will catch what is going on?

I feel hopefull knowing its only mild lvh but definently dont want it to get any worse so I have changed the way i eat and have been walking slowly every day.

I have also had anxiety/panic for 2 years since all of this and am on lexapro and xanax. They just started me on proprolnolol last week and that stuff kicks my butt at night. I take 10 mgs and in the morning i am so horribly nauseaus and dizzy.

thanks for your help,

clarissa

[tickertock]

The weight debate and its association with LVH is still not quite clear from my understanding , remember I'm not an MD. A large person will usually have thicker heart walls than those that are small and thin. If you dont have hypertension that's good, there are other causes of LVH such as HCM which is usually a genetic problem, amyloidosis and other problems.Some persons have a little thicker than normal heartwalls and no other abnormality can be found, this would qualify as a "normal variant" for that person. The best thing to do is try and lose weight, get a repeat echo and see what happens, if everything else is normal, don't stress out about check it in a year or 2 and see if there is any significant change, if youre doc says youre ok you probably are.Good luck