Enlarged Heart
Discussion
OK, cutting a long story short, I was sent by the doc two weeks ago for a chest X-ray.
This mornign I went for the result. Basic story is that whilst my lungs are OK, there is evidence of an enlarged heart.
Doc didn't seem to have the time to explain exactly what this meant, but was more interested in convincing me I need blood pressure pills. I have known about raised blood pressure for several years, and have always resisted taking pills for it.
The question in my mind is what exactly does it mean to have an enlarged heart, and how do they spot it? There has only ever been this one X-ray, so there is nothing to compare it to. Also, what implications does it have for the future?
In normal life I try to get to the gym 3 or 4 times a week, think nothing of setting off on a 6, 7 or 8 mile walk, play hockey a couple of times a week, so feel that I lead a pretty active life. Are these activities something I should look at curbing in view of the news?
Like I say, the Doc was more interested in the pills.
This mornign I went for the result. Basic story is that whilst my lungs are OK, there is evidence of an enlarged heart.
Doc didn't seem to have the time to explain exactly what this meant, but was more interested in convincing me I need blood pressure pills. I have known about raised blood pressure for several years, and have always resisted taking pills for it.
The question in my mind is what exactly does it mean to have an enlarged heart, and how do they spot it? There has only ever been this one X-ray, so there is nothing to compare it to. Also, what implications does it have for the future?
In normal life I try to get to the gym 3 or 4 times a week, think nothing of setting off on a 6, 7 or 8 mile walk, play hockey a couple of times a week, so feel that I lead a pretty active life. Are these activities something I should look at curbing in view of the news?
Like I say, the Doc was more interested in the pills.
If you have high blood pressure this (and other things) can cause you heart to be enlarged due to it having to work harder than it should be doing. I'm in a similar situation taking bp tabs, if your doc says you need blood pressure tabs take their advice, they dont prescribe them for fun and dont see it as a bad thing. You may need to try a few tabs before you find the one that suits you so dont be put off if the first one doesn't work or makes you feel off colour. I tried about 4 different variations before we got it right...
Thats fair enough.
But what defines what size it should be in the first place?
WE all have different sized feet and hands and other things. What says my heart shouldn't be this size?
And will it get smaller if the blood pressure goes down? Or is it permanently damaged.
I've tried google, but all I can seem to find is links to causes, not what to expect.
But what defines what size it should be in the first place?
WE all have different sized feet and hands and other things. What says my heart shouldn't be this size?
And will it get smaller if the blood pressure goes down? Or is it permanently damaged.
I've tried google, but all I can seem to find is links to causes, not what to expect.
I think its because if your heart becomes enlarged it becomes less efficient at pumping blood around your body which can get it into a cycle of becoming more enlarged etc. Take the BP tabs and it will definitely help. Also the way that the spot it is doctors are trained to see what normal organ sizes are on x-rays and then you can tell if a heart is enlarged
daz3210 said:
Thats fair enough.
But what defines what size it should be in the first place?
WE all have different sized feet and hands and other things. What says my heart shouldn't be this size?
And will it get smaller if the blood pressure goes down? Or is it permanently damaged.
I've tried google, but all I can seem to find is links to causes, not what to expect.
Yes we do however the scale of our organs relative to one another remains the same and it is the scale difference that the doctors look at. And it should if it's not too bad i think.But what defines what size it should be in the first place?
WE all have different sized feet and hands and other things. What says my heart shouldn't be this size?
And will it get smaller if the blood pressure goes down? Or is it permanently damaged.
I've tried google, but all I can seem to find is links to causes, not what to expect.
Well I went this afternoon for the ECG that the doc suggested.
All the fella that did it could say was that it conformed what was already known. He says the trace will be looked at by a specialist and reported to my doc in about two weeks.
Someone else at work told me that excessive exercise can affect heart size, is that true?
All the fella that did it could say was that it conformed what was already known. He says the trace will be looked at by a specialist and reported to my doc in about two weeks.
Someone else at work told me that excessive exercise can affect heart size, is that true?
daz3210 said:
Well I went this afternoon for the ECG that the doc suggested.
All the fella that did it could say was that it conformed what was already known. He says the trace will be looked at by a specialist and reported to my doc in about two weeks.
Someone else at work told me that excessive exercise can affect heart size, is that true?
Yes i believe it can but i would hope that your doc took this into account before diagnosing you with an enlarged heart.All the fella that did it could say was that it conformed what was already known. He says the trace will be looked at by a specialist and reported to my doc in about two weeks.
Someone else at work told me that excessive exercise can affect heart size, is that true?
The chest x ray is a bit of a blunt instrument when looking at heart size,the so called cardiothoracic ratio can be interpreted in a subjective way.the ecg is more of an accurate guide to heart size, specifically in this instance the left ventricle.It is likely your heart is showing signs of left ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement) due to untreated hypertension.If ignored then over time this might lead to cardiac failure. If you have proven hypertension you would likely benefit from tablet treatment which might even reverse the enlargement process (especially so with regard to ace inhibitors).Hope this basic overview helps you. Aren't cars ace!
R300will said:
daz3210 said:
Well I went this afternoon for the ECG that the doc suggested.
All the fella that did it could say was that it conformed what was already known. He says the trace will be looked at by a specialist and reported to my doc in about two weeks.
Someone else at work told me that excessive exercise can affect heart size, is that true?
Yes i believe it can but i would hope that your doc took this into account before diagnosing you with an enlarged heart.All the fella that did it could say was that it conformed what was already known. He says the trace will be looked at by a specialist and reported to my doc in about two weeks.
Someone else at work told me that excessive exercise can affect heart size, is that true?
Like I said in an earlier post the emphasis was on getting me to submit to blood pressure pills.
Honk said:
The chest x ray is a bit of a blunt instrument when looking at heart size,the so called cardiothoracic ratio can be interpreted in a subjective way.the ecg is more of an accurate guide to heart size, specifically in this instance the left ventricle.It is likely your heart is showing signs of left ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement) due to untreated hypertension.If ignored then over time this might lead to cardiac failure. If you have proven hypertension you would likely benefit from tablet treatment which might even reverse the enlargement process (especially so with regard to ace inhibitors).Hope this basic overview helps you. Aren't cars ace!
The biggest problem I have is that when I go to the docs my blood pressure is far higher than when at home. At home a typical reading on a home monitor is high 130's over mid 80's. At docs this morning it shot up to 172 over 103.What would happen if the dose of pressure pill lowered my blood pressure too much?
You would feel dizzy/faint.
Gold standard for determining whether you have hypertension or not ("white coat hypertension") is the 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor which your GP should have access to. (You wear a cuff on your arm which inflates periodically measuring your BP over a 24 hour period.
Gold standard for determining whether you have hypertension or not ("white coat hypertension") is the 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor which your GP should have access to. (You wear a cuff on your arm which inflates periodically measuring your BP over a 24 hour period.
Well yesterday morning the quack had just told me that I had a heart problem, and it came as a bit of a shock.
Hence I guess that may have caused raised blood pressure.
My heart rate is always high 80's on the machine in the surgery. I did notice on teh ECG machine my heart rate was hovering around 70. Does it follow that raising blood pressure and raised heart rate go together?
Hence I guess that may have caused raised blood pressure.
My heart rate is always high 80's on the machine in the surgery. I did notice on teh ECG machine my heart rate was hovering around 70. Does it follow that raising blood pressure and raised heart rate go together?
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