Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffEnlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn't a disease, but rather a symptom of another condition.
The term "cardiomegaly" most commonly refers to an enlarged heart seen on chest X-ray before other tests are performed to diagnose the specific condition causing your cardiomegaly. You may develop an enlarged heart temporarily because of a stress on your body, such as pregnancy, or because of a medical condition, such as the weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, heart valve problems or abnormal heart rhythms.
While having an enlarged heart may not always be preventable, it's usually treatable. Treatment for enlarged heart is aimed at correcting the underlying cause. Treatment for an enlarged heart can include medications, medical procedures or surgery.
Symptom Checker: Symptoms & Signs Index
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
An enlarged heart is medically known as cardiomegaly. Cardiomegaly can be caused by a number of different conditions, including diseases of the heart muscle or heart valves, high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension. Cardiomegaly can also sometimes accompany longstanding anemia and thyroid diseases, among other conditions. Infiltrative diseases of the heart, for example, in which abnormal proteins (amyloidosis) or excess iron (hemochromatosis) accumulate within the tissues of the heart, can also cause an enlargement of the heart. Infections, nutritional deficiencies, toxins (such as alcohol or drugs), and some medications have been associated with cardiomegaly. In some situations (for example, pregnancy) there can be a temporary increased demand on the heart, resulting in some temporary enlargement.
It is important to remember that an enlarged heart is not a disease itself but a physical sign that can accompany many diseases and conditions. Not all of the associated conditions listed below, however, will always result in cardiomegaly. Treatment and prognosis are dependent upon the underlying cause.
Cardiomyopathy is a related term that refers to damage to the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathies are often accompanied by cardiomegaly.
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