moderate concentric left ventricular hypertrophy on 2D echo

[prettihealth]

I have had multiple echo done from 1997 to 2010, all but one has been normal. Recently, i had an ulna nerve surgery, than postop began having SOB and dizziness. PFT's and Echo with LV was ordered. Echo report summary states : normal Lt Ventricular systolic function, EF 60-65%, moderate concentric left ventricular hypertrophy observed, Rt ventricular systolic pressure calculated at 19mmhg. what does this mean? I was told it means I was born with "athletes heart - hypertropy cardiomyopathy" by a cardiologist. But wouldn't this mean it would of been present on the other normal echo"s?

[kenkeith]

Q:. Echo report summary states : normal Lt Ventricular systolic function, EF 60-65%, moderate concentric left ventricular hypertrophy observed, Rt ventricular systolic pressure calculated at 19mmhg. what does this mean?

There may be some misunderstanding.  An athlete's heart is a heart that has added thickness to heart walls and this added muscle adds to the strength of the heart's contractions.  The athlete's is the result of vigorous exercise over a period of years.

From the description you have provided regarding heart wall thickness is usually pathological and the thickness limits the available space within the chamber and less room for the blood to fill.  Also, thick heart walls do not relax and the rigidity of the walls do not expand very well and less blood is filled in the chamber.  The result will in the long run reduce the cardiac output and the heart will not be able to meet the system's demand for oxygenated blood. In other words  tissue overgrowth in which the walls of the heart will continue to increase but the exterior size remains the same and the internal size diminishes.

The EF is normal meaning the heart is pumping a percentage that is normal, but the percentage would be from a reduced filling capacity. The information I have provided is the worst case scenario and not meant to be a diagnosis for your condition.

Your RVSP is an estimate right side pressures in the vessels leading to the lungs is good. For some insight RVSP is a metric used to determine pulmonary hypertension. A normal value is less than 35mmHg.  A high RVSP would increase the size of the right ventricle and if not properly treated would impair the pumping of blood to the lungs.  The underlying cause could be pulmonary artery therombosis (blood clot), and/or pulmonary emboli (blood clots).

Thanks for your questions, and if you ghave any other questions or comments you are welcome to respond.  Take care,

Ken