An enlarged heart or cardiomegaly can be a temporary or chronic condition. It can sometimes be a warning sign of an underlying disease. You can have an enlarged heart without having any symptoms. Other times it can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heart rhythms and dizziness. Understanding the causes of an enlarged heart will help you and your doctor determine if and what type of treatment is needed.
Heart Disease
Your heart is a muscle and like any muscle in your body, if it is made to work harder than it is used to, it can get bigger. This response is healthy in the muscles in your body, but it may signal disease in your heart. If you have high blood pressure, blocked arteries, heart valve disease or a weak heart, your heart will have to pump faster and harder to meet the body's needs. As the heart muscle works harder, any one of the heart's four chambers can become enlarged. If left untreated, you may develop swelling or edema in the lungs, abdomen or legs and eventually suffer from heart failure.
Medical Conditions
Conditions such as anemia where there is a lack of adequate red blood cells, thyroid diseases, heart infections and too much iron or protein in the blood can all stress your heart muscle and overload it. There are medications and surgical options available if your symptoms become severe. Your enlarged heart may also be a temporary condition due to pregnancy. After giving birth, the workload on your heart is reduced, and your condition may reverse. Obesity can also make the heart work harder, as it must supply extra blood and oxygen to keep your body functioning. If you are overweight, losing even just a small amount can help to reduce the workload on your heart.
Intense Exercise
The Merck website states that athletes who exercise intensely can develop what is called an "athlete's heart." This is a healthy response to training and a sign that the heart muscle is getting stronger. Along with an enlargement of the heart, your pulse will become slower. Your doctor can perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to hep determine if your enlarged heart is due to exercise or disease. As the athlete stops training, the heart will eventually return to a smaller size.
