Left ventricular hypertrophy : Causes-Symptoms-Diagnosis-Treatment
What is Left ventricular hypertrophy?
Left bodily cavity hypertrophy is thickening of the walls of the ventricle, the heart’s main chamber. The ventricle pumps blood into the artery (the largest artery within the body), that sends this ventilated blood to tissues throughout your body. Thicker walls within the ventricle will interfere together with your heart’s ability to pump blood into the artery.
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| Left ventricular hypertrophy |
The ventricle is the main chamber of your heart. it's accountable for pumping oxygen-rich blood into your artery (the largest artery within the body). If the center has got to work too exhausting to pump blood, the muscles within the walls of the ventricle thicken. This thickening is termed hypertrophy. Hypertrophy suggests that growing (trophy) an excessive amount of (hyper).
Left bodily cavity hypertrophy (LVH) makes it more durable for the center to pump blood expeditiously. It may result during a lack of atomic number 8 to the center muscle. It may also cause changes to the heart’s physical phenomenon system that build it beat on an irregular basis (arrhythmia).
Left bodily cavity hypertrophy affects associate calculable one945|V-J Day|15 August 1945|V-day} to twenty of the population — nearly 1 in five forks. you'll have an exaggerated risk of LVH if you've got a high vital sign or have fat, square measure old or Black.
Medical terms
Left cavity hypertrophy is enlargement and thickening (hypertrophy) of the walls of your heart's main pumping chamber (left ventricle). The thickened heart wall loses physical property, resulting in increased pressure to permit the guts to fill its pumping chamber to send blood to the remainder of the body. Eventually, the guts might fail to pump with the maximum amount of force PRN.
Left cavity hypertrophy is a lot common in people that have uncontrolled high pressure. However, regardless of what your pressure is, developing left cavity hypertrophy puts you at higher risk of symptom coronary failure and irregular heart rhythms.
If left cavity hypertrophy is caused by high pressure, treating high pressure will ease your symptoms and should reverse left cavity hypertrophy.
Left ventricular hypertrophy occurs when the heart muscle receives too much stimulation or over-works This overtaxing causes the muscles to grow larger in size and become thicker increasing blood pressure within the left ventricle In most cases this is NOT a serious condition BUT if untreated it may progress to heart failure with symptoms such as dyspnea (shortness of breath) edema (swelling) in the legs and abdominal bloating due to fluid build-up in the lungs
is the thickening of The ventricular muscle walls and their subsequent enlargement increase the chamber's volume which increases its mass This hypertrophy is referred to as physiologic if it occurs with increased workloads While some degree of hypertrophy occurs in everyone as they age (it is a natural part of aging) when it develops excessively or faster than normal pathologic hypertrophy develops One common pathologic form is hypertensive heart disease in which the excessive stress associated with high blood pressure leads to an increase in cardiac workload that can cause the left ventricle to become enlarged Another form is athlete's heart.
Symptoms Left ventricular hypertrophy
Left cavity hypertrophy typically happens as a result of different heart issues. Together, they'll raise your risk of great complications. Left untreated, LVH affects your heart’s ability to pump blood with efficiency.
Left cavity hypertrophy typically develops step by step. you will expertise no signs or symptoms, particularly throughout the first stages of the condition.
As left cavity hypertrophy progresses, you will experience:
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Chest pain, often after exercising
Sensation of rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeats (palpitations)
Dizziness or fainting
When to see a doctor
Seek emergency care if:
You feel chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes
You have severe difficulty breathing
You have severe lightheadedness or lose consciousness
You have a sudden, severe headache, difficulty speaking, or weakness on one side of your body
If you experience mild shortness of breath or other symptoms, such as palpitations, see your doctor.
If you have high blood pressure or another condition that increases your risk of left ventricular hypertrophy, your doctor is likely to recommend regular appointments to monitor your heart.
Causes Left ventricular hypertrophy
The most common reason for left chamber hypertrophy is high pressure (hypertension). High pressure makes your heart work more durable than traditional. The additional work it takes to pump blood will cause the muscle within the ventricle walls to urge larger and thicker.
Intense preparation will generally cause a rise within the size and thickness of the ventricle walls. However, in most cases, athletes’ hearts still operate commonly and don’t need an equivalent treatment as those with disease-driven LVH.
Left chamber hypertrophy has many causes — one is a rise within the size of muscle cells and therefore the alternative is abnormal tissue round the muscle cells.
Your muscle cells might get larger in response to some issue that causes the ventricle to figure more durable, like high pressure or a cardiopathy. because the left ventricle's work will increase, the muscle tissue within the chamber wall thickens. Sometimes, the dimensions of the chamber itself additionally will increase.
Left chamber hypertrophy may additionally develop thanks to issues within the structure of the guts muscle fiber. These changes will be associated with a genetic disorder. Abnormal tissue round the muscle cells may be a result of many rare conditions.
Factors that may cause your heart to figure more durable include:
High blood pressure (hypertension). This is the foremost common explanation for left bodily cavity hypertrophy. over a third of individuals show proof of left bodily cavity hypertrophy at the time of their identification with cardiovascular disease.
Aortic valve stenosis. This sickness could be a narrowing of the semilunar valve that separates the ventricle from the massive vas going away your heart (aorta). The narrowing of the semilunar valve needs the ventricle to be more durable to pump blood into the artery.
- Athletic training. Intense, prolonged endurance and strength coaching will cause the center to adapt to handle the additional work. It's unclear whether or not this body type of ventricle hypertrophy will result in stiffening of the center muscle and malady.Abnormalities in cardiac muscle cell structure that lead to enhanced heart wall thickness include:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This genetic disease occurs when the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, even with completely normal blood pressure, making it harder for the heart to pump blood.
Amyloidosis. A condition that causes abnormal protein deposits around the organs, including the heart.
Risk factors Left ventricular hypertrophy
In addition to cardiovascular disease and semilunar valve stricture, factors that increase your risk of left cavum hypertrophy include:
Age. Left ventricular hypertrophy is more common in older people.
Weight. Being overweight increases your risk of high blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy.
Family history. Certain genetic conditions are associated with developing left ventricular hypertrophy.
Diabetes. The risk of left ventricular hypertrophy is higher in people with diabetes.
Race. African Americans could have the next risk of left chamber hypertrophy than White race with similar pressure measurements.
Sex. Women with high blood pressure are at higher risk of left cavum hypertrophy than are men with similar pressure measurements.
Complications Left ventricular hypertrophy
Left bodily cavity hypertrophy changes the structure and dealing of the center. The enlarged ventricle can:
Weaken
Stiffen and lose elasticity, preventing the chamber from filling properly and increasing pressure in the heart
Compress the chamber's blood vessels (coronary arteries) and restrict its supply of blood
As a result of these changes, complications of left ventricular hypertrophy include:
Reduced blood supply to the heart
Inability of the heart to pump enough blood to your body (heart failure)
Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
Irregular, often rapid heartbeat that increases the risk of stroke
Insufficient supply of oxygen to the heart (ischemic heart disease)
Stroke
Sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness (sudden cardiac arrest)
How serious is left ventricular hypertrophy?
The left ventricle is the heart's main chamber It pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body through the aorta and pulmonary artery Left ventricular hypertrophy or LVH causes an enlarged heart and puts you at risk for serious complications such as heart arrhythmias high blood pressure and congestive heart failure Although medical treatments can alleviate these problems they cannot reverse LVH altogether Consequently lifestyle changes are often necessary to reduce your risk of developing LVH in the first place.
How long does it take to cure left ventricular hypertrophy?
For a person with hypertension left ventricular hypertrophy develops slowly and gradually increases in size over time As the condition advances it can become difficult to detect on a medical exam In order for doctors to determine a patient's progress towards recovery from left ventricular hypertrophy they need to conduct repeated tests that confirm improvements in heart function or physical findings at each visit.
Can the left ventricle repair itself?
The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber The muscle tissue that makes up the wall of this chamber is called the myocardium The myocardium and the rest of the heart can sometimes be injured during a heart attack or through other conditions like coronary artery disease.
How do you reverse left ventricular hypertrophy naturally?
The question is how exactly can we reverse left ventricular hypertrophy naturally? And what are the methods available to help us do so Let me start by telling you that I have a few friends who had been diagnosed with hypertension a while ago and they were prescribed medication which they had to take regularly But there came a time when they stopped taking their medication and instead applied some natural remedies for hypertension at home Within months their blood pressure levels started coming down and now it's pretty much back to normal So obviously reversing left ventricular hypertrophy wasn't as difficult as one might think after all!.
Prevention Left ventricular hypertrophy
The best thanks to forestall left cavity hypertrophy caused by high force per unit area is to take care of healthy force per unit area. to higher manage your blood pressure:
Monitor high blood pressure. Purchase a home blood pressure measuring device and check your blood pressure frequently. Schedule regular checkups with your doctor.
Maintain a healthy weight. There's a direct relationship between excess weight and higher blood pressure.
Make time for physical activity. Regular physical activity helps to lower pressure level and keep it at traditional levels. Aim for half-hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
Eat a healthy diet. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat and salt, and eat more fruits and vegetables. Avoid alcoholic beverages or drink them in moderation.
Quit smoking. Giving up smoking improves your overall health and prevents heart attacks.
Diagnosis Left ventricular hypertrophy
Your doctor can begin with a health history, case history and thorough physical examination, together with checking your force per unit area and heart operation.
Your doctor would possibly then advocate screening tests:
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Electrical signals are recorded as they travel through your heart. Your doctor will explore for patterns that indicate abnormal heart operations and magnified ventricle muscle tissue.
Echocardiogram. Sound waves turn out live-action pictures of your heart. A sonogram will reveal thickened muscle tissue within the heart ventricle, blood flow through the guts with every beat, and heart abnormalities associated with left cavity hypertrophy, like semilunar valve stricture.
MRI. Images of your heart can be used to diagnose left ventricular hypertrophy.
Treatment Left ventricular hypertrophy
Treating the underlying explanation for left cavity hypertrophy can facilitate stop or slow unwellness progression. looking at the cause, treatment might embody.
Blood pressure medication might facilitate more enlargement of the heart ventricle and even shrink your hypertrophic muscles. Your doctor would possibly advocate medications including:
Blood pressure medication: Lowering your blood pressure will help prevent left ventricular hypertrophy from worsening. Keeping blood pressure at a healthy level can reduce your risk of heart failure, heart attack or stroke.
Heart valve surgery: If left ventricular hypertrophy is the result of aortic valve stenosis, you may need aortic valve surgery. The surgery replaces the narrowed valve, allowing blood to flow properly.
Lifestyle changes: Heart-healthy habits — including eating well and getting regular exercise — can lower your blood pressure and reduce LVH complications.
Medications
Blood pressure medication might facilitate stopping additional enlargement of the heart ventricle and even shrink your hypertrophic muscles. Your doctor may advocate medications including:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These medications widen blood vessels to lower pressure, improve blood flow and reduce the heart's work. Examples include angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, ACE inhibitors (Vasotec) and Zestril (Prinivil, Zestril, Zestoretic). facet effects may embrace associate degree irritating dry cough in a very tiny proportion of individuals.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Medications such as losartan (Cozaar) have benefits similar to ACE inhibitors but don't cause a persistent cough.
Calcium channel blockers. These medications forestall metal from coming into cells of the center and vas walls. This relaxes the muscle within the vessel walls, that lets the blood vessels open wider and reduces pressure. Examples embrace amlodipine (Norvasc) and calcium-channel blocker (Cardizem, Tiazac).
Diuretics. Medications known as thiazide-type diuretics reduce the amount of fluid in your blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Examples include chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide).
Beta blockers. Medications like Tenormin (Tenormin) will lower your pulse, scale back vital signs and forestall a number of the harmful effects of stress hormones. Beta blockers are not typically given as Associate in Nursing initial treatment for cardiovascular disease. Your doctor may suggest adding a beta-adrenergic blocking agent if another style of medication is not effective alone.
Surgery or other procedures
Aortic valve stenosis treatment
Left ventricular hypertrophy that is caused by aortic valve stenosis might require surgery to repair the narrow valve or to replace it with an artificial or tissue valve.
Treating other underlying conditions
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treatment. Left chamber hypertrophy because of cardiomyopathy could also be treated with medication, a medical procedure procedure, surgery, deep-rooted devices and way changes .
Amyloidosis. Treatment for amyloidosis includes medications, chemotherapy and possibly a stem cell transplant. Treatment for amyloidosis is available at specialized clinics.
- Treatment of sleep apnea. If you've already been diagnosed with sleep disorder, treating this disorder could lower your force per unit area and facilitate reverse left cavity hypertrophy if it's caused by high force per unit area.If you haven't been diagnosed with sleep disorder, however, your partner tells you that you simply snore or that you simply stop breathing momentarily whereas you sleep, speak along with your doctor regarding obtaining a test for sleep disorder.Sleep apnea treatment involves employing a machine that gives continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) whereas you sleep. CPAP keeps your airways open, permitting you to urge the element you wish to stay your force per unit area at a traditional level.
Lifestyle and home remedies
Lifestyle changes will lower your vital sign, boost your heart health and improve left cavum hypertrophy signs if caused by high vital signs. Your doctor is probably going to advocate wholesome modus vivendi changes, together with the following:
Quitting smoking.
Losing weight. Left bodily cavity hypertrophy is commonly found in those who are unit weighty in spite of force per unit area. Losing weight has been shown to reverse left bodily cavity hypertrophy. Keeping a healthy weight, or losing weight if you are overweight or weighty, may also facilitate management of your force per unit area.
Eating a heart-healthy diet. Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat farm merchandise and smart fats, like vegetable oil. cut back the amounts of refined carbohydrates, metallic elements and saturated fats in your diet.
Limiting salt in your diet. Too much salt can increase your blood pressure. Choose low-sodium or no-salt-added foods, and don't add salt to your meals.
Drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all. Alcohol can also raise your blood pressure, especially if consumed in large amounts.
Getting regular physical activity. Aim for a minimum of a hundred and fifty minutes of moderate physical activity every week. As an example, attempt brisk walking for about half-hour most days of the week. Even smaller amounts of activity can offer important profit. raise your doctor if you wish to limit sure physical activities, like terribly serious anaerobic exercise, which can briefly raise your force per unit area.
Managing stress. Find ways to manage stress, such as relaxation techniques.
Preparing for your appointment
You may be referred to a doctor trained in treating heart disease (cardiologist).
What you can do
Write down your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason why you scheduled the appointment.
Make a list of all your medications, vitamins and supplements.
Write down your key medical information, including other conditions.
Write down key personal information, including any recent changes or stressors in your life.
Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Find out if your family has a history of heart disease.
Ask a relative or friend to accompany you, to help you remember what the doctor says.
Questions to ask your doctor
What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
What tests do I need? Is there any special preparation for them?
What kinds of treatments do I need?
Should I make any lifestyle changes?
Should I restrict any of my activities?
I have other health problems. How can I best manage these conditions together?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may leave time to go over points you want to spend more time on. You may be asked:
What are your symptoms, and when did they begin?
Have your symptoms gotten worse over time?
Do you have chest pain or rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeats?
Do you have dizziness? Have you ever fainted?
Have you had difficulty breathing?
Does exercise or lying down make your symptoms worse?
Have you ever coughed up blood?
Do you have a history of high blood pressure or rheumatic fever?
Do you have a family history of heart problems?
Do you or did you smoke? Do you use alcohol or caffeine?
General summary
No it cannot be cured. Left ventricular hypertrophy can only be controlled and managed by keeping the blood pressure under control, maintaining normal weight, exercising regularly, reducing stress and taking medications prescribed by a doctor as per instructions..
