Reasons why the left ventricle of the heart is enlarged

Why is there an increase in the left ventricle of the heart and what is it, how dangerous is it and how does it manifest itself? This or a similar question can be heard from patients who have been diagnosed with this pathology or who only suspect about its development.

An increase in the left ventricle of the heart is a secondary pathology that occurs for various reasons and requires immediate medical intervention.

Before answering it in detail, it is necessary to consider what changes occur in the heart muscle and how they affect the functioning of the organ.

How pathological changes develop

Natural regulatory mechanisms force the myocardium to contract so that the volume of blood pumped by it provides the body with oxygen and the necessary nutrients.

But there are reasons that interfere with the full blood flow through the vessels.

The most frequent of them:

• Arterial hypertension. Increased blood pressure increases vascular tone and reduces the lumen of the vascular bed, forcing the left ventricle to force blood through the vessels during contraction.
• Stenosis of the aortic valve. The mechanism of the development of the disease is similar to that which occurs with hypertension: the left ventricle also has to increase the force of myocardial contractions in order for the necessary portion of blood to pass through the narrow opening of the aorta.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Genetic pathology during which thickening of the myocardium occurs.

• Intensive training or hard physical labor. There is such a syndrome as the "athlete's heart", when the organ increases in size to meet the needs of intensely working muscles.
• Stopping breathing during sleep (apnea) while snoring. During a prolonged cessation of breathing (from a few seconds to 3 minutes), the level of oxygen in the blood drops sharply, to compensate for the deficiency, the heart muscle begins to contract with greater force. In this case, a short-term rise in blood pressure is possible, which creates an additional load on the organ.
• Chronic lung diseases. In this case, pathological changes are secondary and occur after an increase in the right heart.
• Rheumatism. It occurs more often in childhood and is manifested by thickening of the heart wall against the background of mitral valve insufficiency.

All of these causes cause the myocardium to contract with greater force. And what happens to the muscle during intense physical activity? When working with great effort, it increases.

How pathology manifests itself

At an early stage, the symptoms do not manifest themselves in any way, but with the severity of hypertrophy in a person, the following symptoms may occur:

• chest pains;
• palpitations, rhythm disturbances are possible;
• weakness;
• fast fatiguability;
• darkening in the eyes;

• sudden fainting;
• dyspnea.

If timely treatment is not carried out, the condition may be complicated by the development of heart failure, heart attack or stroke.

Methods of diagnosis and treatment

Thickening of the heart wall is diagnosed using an ECG.

Additionally, to clarify the diagnosis, the patient undergoes:

• ultrasound;
• KTG.

Having understood the question of an increase in the left ventricle of the heart, what it is and how it occurs, we can conclude that pathological changes are not an independent disease, but arise as a result of other diseases. Therefore, treatment begins with the elimination of provoking factors - hypertension is treated, physical activity is stabilized, etc. With rheumatic heart disease or stenosis, surgical intervention is possible.

To stabilize the patient's condition, the following can be prescribed:

1. Vasodilator drugs (ACE inhibitors). They stabilize blood pressure, dilate blood vessels and facilitate the work of the heart muscle. The most famous of this group are Enalapril, Berlipril, Captopril. A side effect of these drugs is a dry cough.
2. Means that slow down the rhythm (beta-blockers). Medications are prescribed with a tendency to tachycardia. They reduce the number of heartbeats and lower blood pressure, but they are not prescribed as a separate drug for hypertrophy of the left heart.
3. Diuretics. Means are used to reduce the volume of circulating blood. More often they are used in violation of the secretion of urine or in hypertensive crises.

Other symptomatic treatment is also possible.

You should not self-medicate and take pills recommended by someone for pressure or pain in the heart, this can only provoke an aggravation of the pathological process. If you feel worse, especially if there is a history of heart disease, lung disease or hypertension, it is recommended to be examined in a medical institution.