An enlarged heart, also called cardiomegaly, commonly stems from a type of heart disease known as cardiomyopathy. When the cardiac muscle becomes enlarged, the soft pliable tissue of the heart turns into a stiff, hardened mass, which in some cases deveops scar tissue, according to Cleveland Clinic. Although no cure for an enlarged heart exists, treatments to reduce the discomfort and slow the disease's progress are available.
Lifestyle Modifications
As with any cardiac problem, a healthy diet promotes a healthy heart. The nutrients found in fresh fruits and vegetables promote low cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Enlarged hearts can be caused by high blood pressure and heart disease. As the heart works harder to pump the blood, the muscle becomes harder, just as any muscle in the body would from working out. A healthy diet, low in saturated fat and sodium, reduces stress load on the heart.
Modest regular exercise can keep weight under control and reduce risk of high blood pressure and obesity, which increases the risk of heart failure---often the end result of an enlarged heart, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Medications
Vasodilators such as nitrates, hydralazine and angiotensin enzyme inhibitors may be prescribed to reduce the workload of the heart, reports Judith A. Schilling McCann, author of "Critical Care Nursing." One of the most commonly prescribed drugs, digoxin, also called digitalis, improves contractility of the heart muscle, states the Mayo Clinic. Improved contractility gives each contraction of the heart more power to push a greater amount of blood out of the heart chambers, which delays development of congestive heart failure.
Surgery
Some cases of enlarged hearts respond only to surgery. An open-heart procedure that slices off a section of the thickened heart muscle can rejuvenate circulation to the rest of the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. This surgery often alleviates further symptoms of an enlarged heart.
Another surgical option involves shooting alcohol into a blood vessel leading to the thicker portion of the heart, which will cause the area to die off. The procedure carries a high risk of complete heart block, after which the patient may need a pacemaker, explains Schilling.
In the case of young patients with severe cardiomyopathy, a heart transplant may be the best option because the patient will have a better chance at a longer life span, according to Schilling.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Cardiomyopathy
- MayoClinic.com: Cardiomyopathy
- "Critical Care Nursing"; Judith A. Schilling McCann, RN, MSN; 2007
