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An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) can be caused by damage to the heart muscle or any condition that makes the heart pump harder than usual, including pregnancy. Sometimes the heart gets larger and becomes weak for unknown reasons. This condition is called idiopathic cardiomyopathy.
Tests that may be done to help diagnose an enlarged heart (cardiomyopathy) and its cause include: Blood tests. Blood tests may help confirm or rule out conditions that can cause heart enlargement.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure is the most common cause of left ventricular hypertrophy. Complications include irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias, and heart failure. Treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy depends on the cause. Treatment may include medications or surgery.
Enlarged heart, in heart failure If the heart weakens, as it can with heart failure, it begins to enlarge. This forces the heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy usually is caused by changes in genes that cause the heart muscle to thicken. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy typically affects the wall between the two bottom chambers of the heart.
Causes. Chambers and valves of the heart Enlarge image. A typical heart and heart valve disease Enlarge image. To understand the causes of heart valve disease, it may be helpful to know how the heart works. Four valves in the heart keep blood flowing in the right direction. These valves are:
An aortic aneurysm is a bulge that occurs in the wall of the body's main artery, called the aorta. The aorta carries blood from the heart to the body. Aortic aneurysms can occur anywhere in the aorta. They may be tube shaped or round. Aortic aneurysms include: Abdominal aortic aneurysm.
An enlarged liver is one that's bigger than normal. The medical term is hepatomegaly (hep-uh-toe-MEG-uh-le). Rather than a disease, an enlarged liver is a sign of an underlying problem, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure or cancer.
A thoracic aneurysm may be round or tube-shaped. Aneurysms can occur anywhere in the thoracic aorta, including near the heart, in the aortic arch and in the lower part of the thoracic aorta. Causes of thoracic aortic aneurysms may include: Hardening of the arteries, called atherosclerosis.
Causes. A number of infections and diseases can cause an enlarged spleen. The enlargement might be temporary, depending on treatment. Contributing factors include: Viral infections, such as mononucleosis; Bacterial infections, such as syphilis or an infection of your heart's inner lining (endocarditis) Parasitic infections, such as malaria