LVH

[Danlittle2001]

I'm 31 and was told based on a ekg that i have lvh. With proper excercise and diet can i reverse this? And how bad is the damage normally? The reason i ask is i feel fine i'm active and just went for a routine check up.

[is_something_wrong]

I know the doctor will answer this, but I felt that I had to comment your post. I have the same "problem" with EKG's showing LVH.

From what I know, the formulas that the EKG machine use to calculate LVH (which are based on the height and depth on the EKG "spikes" (the QRS complexes or more precise, the R wave, upwards, and the S wave, downwards) don't apply to people younger than 35 years. Young people, in good shape, and especially if we are a little nervous during the EKG recording, can have fairly large "spikes" without necessarily to indicate LVH. The theory is that a large heart muscle (large left chamber) creates more electricity, which manifest with large spikes.

The only way to rule this in or out is an echocardiography. I did that. I didn't have LVH.

In addition, LVH is bad if it's in the setting of high blood pressure or genetic disease. Athletes have LVH "athlete's heart" and this is physiological.

Just some info while you wait for doctor's response =)

[CCFCardio MD1]

LVH (or left ventricular hypertrophy) often times seen in athletes and young patients.  Typically, younger patients such as a 31 year old will not usually have pathologic LVH in the absence of other risk factors such as hypertension or family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.  I encourage you to discuss these findings with your doctor to see if further testing such as an echo would be indicated.  However, a young patient with LVH on a routine EKG in the absence of other risk factors would not typically warrant anything else.