Enlargement of the cavity of the left atrium

Left atrial enlargement is not a separate disease.

Doctors consider it as a secondary disease resulting from a number of pathological processes.

Doctors call this deviation hypertrophy. It occurs as a result of a violation of blood flow in the left side of the heart, a decrease in the contractile function of the myocardial muscle. Without timely treatment, pathology can lead to complex consequences.

Causes of pathology

Diseases are either congenital or acquired. Left atrial hypertrophy is no exception. If it is not hereditary, then it develops gradually, depending on the factors provoking such an anomaly. There are many reasons why the atrium may increase.

Most often, the following are distinguished:

1. Overweight. This is one of the most common factors leading to left atrial enlargement at a young age. Often obesity provokes hypertrophy in children.
2. Stenosis, mitral insufficiency. The mitral valve regulates blood flow between the two heart chambers (blood flows from the left atrium to the ventricle). Stenosis and mitral insufficiency can provoke hypertrophy. In the first case, due to the narrowing of the opening between the sections, the heart needs more force to pump the required amount of biological fluid into the left ventricle. As a result of excessive load, hypertrophy occurs. In the second variant, the inability of the valve to close normally contributes to the reverse flow of blood, which can provoke inflammation and, as a result, atrial enlargement.
3. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Pathology is congenital in nature and is manifested, as a rule, by a thickening of the left ventricle (sometimes the right one).
4. Hypertension. As a result of an increase in blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels, the load on the heart also increases. As a result, there is an increase in the atrium.
5. Constant stress, emotional instability. Such factors significantly increase the load on the organ, which leads to the gradual formation of pathology.
6. Great physical activity. This reason most often provokes an illness in athletes. Excessive loads are accompanied by an increase in blood pressure in the arteries and, accordingly, increased work of the heart.
7. aortic stenosis. Since the aortic vessel is connected to the left ventricle, in the event of a narrowing of the opening, the organ exerts too much force to push out the next portion of blood.
8. Lung diseases. Infectious diseases of the respiratory system, which reduce the functionality of the lungs, can lead to an increase in the left atrium.

Hypertrophy may progress.

But the symptoms are not always pronounced. Therefore, it is very important that such a deviation be diagnosed in time. Otherwise, myocardial infarction or stroke is possible.

Signs of pathology

The manifestations of the anomaly primarily depend on the degree of compaction of the septum and myocardium, its uniformity and symmetry.

In such cases, patients practically do not pay attention to this symptom, since it does not interfere with normal life.

More pronounced manifestations of hypertrophy include:

• regular pain manifestations in the region of the heart;
• labored breathing;
• angina;
• sudden changes in blood pressure;
• atrial fibrillation;
• insomnia;
• frequent headaches;
• general weakness;
• very fast fatigue.

In case of "fading" of the heart, fainting is possible. This manifestation is a consequence of insufficient nutrition of the heart muscle. At the beginning of the development of pathology, the patient may experience shortness of breath during heavy exertion. This symptom should not be ignored, as it can be a harbinger of complex ailments.

Diagnosis and treatment

Although the pathology at the initial stage does not have pronounced symptoms, it is quite possible to detect it.

The following examinations help to identify hypertrophy:

1. Echocardiography. The structures of the heart reflect the signals at the moment, which the ultrasound machine transforms and produces in the form of a picture. In addition to the condition of soft tissues, valves, myocardial contractility, ultrasound allows you to determine the thickness of the walls of the organ, the volume of the cavity, the movement of blood in the atria, ventricle.
2. Radiography. This method well diagnoses pronounced hypertrophy, since in this case the changed contours of the heart are clearly visible in the picture. At an early stage, radiography does not detect pathology.
3. Electrocardiography. This method of electrophysiological instrumental diagnostics is most often used to study the heart. The technique consists in the graphic registration of the electric fields that the organ creates. The ECG does not accurately indicate left atrial hypertrophy, but notes indirect signs by which the doctor can judge changes in the organ. If the left atrium is enlarged, an increase in the P wave can be seen on the ECG, which shows how the atrial myocardium is functioning. It is the second part of the P wave that indicates the state of the left atrium.

Treatment of left atrial hypertrophy is aimed at normalizing the functioning of the heart muscle.

To begin with, the doctor finds out the causes of such a pathology.

In addition to the above examinations, the following may be prescribed:

• blood analysis;
• blood pressure monitoring and so on.

As a rule, the doctor attributes pharmacological agents with an ionotropic effect of a negative effect (calcium antagonists, β-blockers). The dose of such drugs is prescribed individually, they are taken, most often, for life.

In case of complex cardiac arrhythmias, antiarrhythmic drugs are recommended.

With dilatation of the cavity and systolic dysfunction, treatment of insufficiency is carried out using ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor antagonists, spironolactone and other groups of drugs traditionally used for heart failure. In addition, physical activity is limited.

With regards to surgical intervention, it is carried out only in case of ineffectiveness of drug therapy in patients diagnosed with asymmetric interventricular septal hypertrophy, subaortic pressure gradient at rest, in case of pronounced obstruction or complex manifestations. Surgical treatment is aimed at reducing the obstruction by reducing the density of the septum.

The rules are:

1. Avoid heavy physical exertion, spend a lot of time outdoors. Swimming, cycling, and hiking have a good effect on the state of the cardiovascular system.
2. It is necessary to normalize the mode of rest / wakefulness. To feel good, you need to get enough sleep.
3. It is necessary to avoid stress and treat diseases in time.
4. Also, special attention should be paid to nutrition. The diet should be rich in fresh vegetables and fruits. The optimal content of vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet is necessary to maintain normal heart activity.

The prognosis for left atrial hypertrophy depends on the causes that gave rise to the pathology and the degree of damage to the organ section. If the anomaly was detected at an early stage, proper treatment and lifestyle changes will help to avoid the development of the disease and its consequences.

Otherwise, with far-reaching changes and the absence of therapeutic measures, pulmonary edema, attacks of cardiac asthma, and circulatory disorders may develop, which can lead to disability or death.