Your body contains more calcium than any other mineral. Even though 99 percent of your calcium is stored in your bones and teeth, the small amount in your circulation plays a vital role in maintaining optimal function of your muscles, nerves and...
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...
The heart normally pumps blood throughout the body to sustain life. Certain medical conditions may affect the heart muscles, weakening them. The muscle weakness causes the heart to pump harder in effort to supply the same amount of blood that it...
Shortness of breath, dizziness, an abnormal heart rhythm and swelling can all be signs of an enlarged heart, medically known as cardiomegaly. The Mayo Clinic says that other symptoms include dizziness and a cough. Some of its risk factors include...
The human heart consists of four chambers: the two upper chambers, which receive blood and are known as the atria, and the two lower chambers, which pump blood and are known as the ventricles. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood into the...
Cardiomegaly is the medical term used to describe an enlarged heart. While usually detected by an X-ray, this condition is considered a symptom of an underlying disease, such as coronary artery disease. In some cases, however, it may be a...
An enlarged heart, also known as cardiomegaly, is a condition with a number of causes, according to the Better Health Channel. It comes in both asymptomatic and symptomatic forms, and has been linked with negative heart events, such as fluid...
Cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, is a symptom of a cardiac problem. The primary illness can include a number of conditions, such as coronary artery disease or abnormal heart rhythms. Exercise is an important part of heart health, however, an...
Cardiomegaly is the clinical term for an enlarged heart. Cardiomegaly is not a disease in and of itself but is a symptom of other underlying disorders. This disease is typically found after a patient receives a chest X-ray. Cardiomegaly can be...
Cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, is actually a symptom and not a disease. Typically found when an X-ray is performed, it may be indicative of a number of different conditions such as valve damage or high blood pressure. While not always...
According to the American Heart Association, an enlarged heart is characterized by an increase in the size of the heart that may be caused by an increase in the thickness of the heart muscle. This condition, also called cardiomegaly, is typically...
The term cardiomegaly means that your heart muscle is enlarged. It is a symptom of another underlying condition. Pregnancy and chronic medical conditions can stress the heart muscle, making it work harder than normal, which causes it to enlarge....
The heart muscle is responsible for providing the body with the blood and oxygen it needs to sustain life. Like any muscle in the body, it needs to be exercised and taken care of in order for a person to stay healthy. Being overweight, sedentary,...
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces less of certain hormones than the body needs. Symptoms include fatigue, muscle aches, brittle fingernails and hair, depression, swollen face, joint pain, weight gain and increased sensitivity...
Cardiomegaly, or enlarged heart, occurs for multiple reasons. The heart may enlarge temporarily due to stressors such as pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other problems with the heart may cause the muscle to weaken and enlarge. An enlarged...
Enlarged heart or cardiomelagy is not a disease but a symptom of a health condition. An enlarged heart is caused by thickening and weakening of the heart's muscle due to health conditions, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart valve...
The heart is a muscular organ which contracts in order to pump blood to the lungs and throughout the rest of the body. Although athletes can have larger than normal hearts that are not a medical problem, there are situations in which the heart can...
Iron is an essential element that is necessary for good health. Most of the iron in your body is found in your red blood cells. Deficiency does not happen overnight -- it can develop slowly or be caused by your body’s inability to use stored...
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, or CHF, refers to the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. According to the Mayo Clinic, over time conditions such as narrowed arteries in your heart, which is...
The heart is responsible for moving oxygenated blood from the lungs to the body and returning de-oxygenated blood from the body to the lungs to be re-oxygenated. Right-sided heart failure is a condition in which this side of the heart cannot...
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...
An enlarged heart is, per its name, an increase in the size of the heart. While this condition can be caused by a number of factors, in runners it is typically symptomatic of the thickening of heart muscle resulting from frequent exercise. A...
The world of professional wrestling has some long-held secrets, as only recently did fans begin to realize the extent of this act. The WWE remains the largest sports entertainment company in the world, and its performers still hold many of these...
An enlarged heart is a heart that is larger than normal. According to the American Heart Association, enlarged hearts can be caused by a thickening of the heart muscle due to an increased workload. This increase in workload can be caused by heart...
The medical term for an enlarged heart is cardiomyopathy. There are several types of cardiomyopathy, each causing somewhat different effects. Cardiomyopathy can be caused by high blood pressure, certain viral illnesses, coronary artery disease, or...
A thick heart is the most common cause of sudden death in children and young adults; death from this cause often happens during strenuous exercise or exertion. Many people with this condition have it as a result of a genetic disorder. An enlarged...
The periphery of the body, especially the hands and feet, contain an intricate map of vascular structures. When engorged, or full of blood and fluids, the hands and feet quickly swell and can result in pain and decreased mobility. This swelling,...
Blood pressure describes the force of the circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Two main forces create blood pressure; the pumping action of the heart that creates circulation and the force of the arteries as they resist the...
Exercise can aggravate existing conditions and bring on symptoms such as fatigue and numb toes. Aerobic exercises cause your heart rate to speed up and may lead to muscle fatigue, but numb toes are not a normal result of exercise. See your doctor...
