{"id":205266,"date":"2018-09-07T16:50:18","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T16:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5f17670acf5743285.temporary.link\/rohsi.org\/?p=205266"},"modified":"2018-09-07T16:51:26","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T16:51:26","slug":"enlarged-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rohsi.org\/?p=205266","title":{"rendered":"ENLARGED HEART"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Overview<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn&#8217;t a disease, but rather a sign of another condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The term &#8220;cardiomegaly&#8221; refers to an enlarged heart seen on <\/span>any<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> imaging test, including a chest X-ray. Other tests are then needed to diagnose the condition causing your enlarged heart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Certain conditions may cause the heart muscle to thicken or one of the chambers of the heart to dilate, making the heart larger. Depending on the condition, an enlarged heart may be temporary or permanent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">An enlarged heart may be treatable by correcting the cause. Treatment for an enlarged heart can include medications, medical procedures or surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Symptoms<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">In some people, an enlarged heart causes no signs or symptoms. Others may have these signs and symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Shortness of breath<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Swelling (<\/span>oedema<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>When to see a doctor<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">An enlarged heart is easier to treat when it&#8217;s detected early, so talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your heart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If you have new signs or symptoms that might be related to your heart, make an appointment to see your doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Seek emergency medical care if you have any of these signs and symptoms, which may mean you&#8217;re having a heart attack:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Chest pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Severe shortness of breath<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Fainting<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Causes<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">An enlarged heart can be caused by conditions that cause your heart to pump harder than usual or that damage your heart muscle. Sometimes the heart enlarges and becomes weak for unknown reasons (idiopathic).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">A heart condition you&#8217;re born with (congenital), damage from a heart attack or an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia) can cause your heart to enlarge. Other conditions associated with an enlarged heart include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>High blood pressure.<\/strong><\/span>Your<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> heart may have to pump harder to deliver blood to the rest of your body, enlarging and thickening the muscle.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">High blood pressure can cause the left ventricle to enlarge, causing the heart muscle eventually to weaken. High blood pressure may also enlarge the upper chambers of your heart (atria).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart valve disease.<\/strong> Four valves in your heart keep blood flowing in the right direction. If the valves are damaged by conditions such as rheumatic fever, a heart defect, infections (infectious endocarditis), connective tissue disorders, certain medications or radiation treatments for cancer, your heart may enlarge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Disease of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).<\/strong>As this thickening and stiffening of heart muscle progress, your heart may enlarge to try to pump more blood to your body.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>High blood pressure in the artery connecting your heart and lungs (pulmonary hypertension).<\/strong>Your heart may need to pump harder to move blood between your lungs and your heart. As a result, the right side of your heart may enlarge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Fluid around your heart (pericardial effusion).<\/strong>Accumulation of fluid in the sac (pericardium) that contains your heart may cause your heart to appear enlarged on a chest X-ray.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Low red blood cell count (anaemia).<\/strong><\/span>Anaemia<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> is a condition in which there aren&#8217;t enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. Untreated, chronic <\/span>anaemia<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat. Your heart must pump more blood to make up for the lack of oxygen in the blood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Thyroid disorders.<\/strong> Both an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) and an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) can lead to heart problems, including an enlarged heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Excessive iron in the body (hemochromatosis).<\/strong>Hemochromatosis is a disorder in which your body doesn&#8217;t properly metabolize iron, causing it to build up in various organs, including your heart. This can cause an enlarged left ventricle due to the weakening of the heart muscle.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Rare diseases that can affect your heart, such as amyloidosis.<\/strong><\/span>Amyloidosis<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> is a condition in which abnormal proteins circulate in the blood and may be deposited in the heart, interfering with your heart&#8217;s function and causing it to enlarge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Risk factors<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">You may have a greater risk of developing an enlarged heart if you have any of the following risk factors:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>High blood pressure.<\/strong><\/span>Having<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> a blood pressure measurement higher than 140\/90 millimeters of mercury puts you at an increased risk of developing an enlarged heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>A family history of enlarged hearts or cardiomyopathy.<\/strong><\/span>If<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> an immediate family member, such as a parent or sibling, has had an enlarged heart, you may be more susceptible to developing the condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Blocked arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease).<\/strong>With this condition, fatty plaques in your heart arteries obstruct blood flow through your heart vessels, which can lead to a heart attack. When a section of heart muscle dies, your heart has to pump harder to get adequate blood to the rest of your body, causing it to enlarge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Congenital heart disease.<\/strong> If you&#8217;re born with a condition that affects the structure of your heart, you may be at risk of developing an enlarged heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart valve disease.<\/strong> The heart has four valves \u2014 aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid \u2014 that open and close to direct blood flow through your heart. Conditions that damage the valves may cause the heart to enlarge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart attack.<\/strong> Having a heart attack increases your risk of developing an enlarged heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Complications<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The risk of complications from an enlarged heart depends on the part of the heart that is enlarged and the cause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Complications of an enlarged heart can include:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart failure.<\/strong><\/span>One<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> of the most serious types of enlarged heart, an enlarged left ventricle increases the risk of heart failure. In heart failure, your heart muscle weakens, and the ventricles stretch (dilate) to the point that the heart can&#8217;t pump blood efficiently throughout your body.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Blood clots.<\/strong><\/span>Having<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> an enlarged heart may make you more susceptible to forming blood clots in the lining of your heart. If clots enter your bloodstream, they can block blood flow to vital organs, even causing a heart attack or stroke. Clots that develop on the right side of your heart may travel to your lungs, a dangerous condition called a pulmonary embolism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart murmur.<\/strong><\/span>For<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> people who have an enlarged heart, two of the heart&#8217;s four valves \u2014 the mitral and tricuspid valves \u2014 may not close properly because they become dilated, leading to a backflow of blood. This flow creates sounds called heart murmurs. Although not necessarily harmful, heart murmurs should be monitored by your doctor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Cardiac arrest and sudden death.<\/strong><\/span>Some<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> forms of an enlarged heart can lead to disruptions in your heart&#8217;s beating rhythm. Heart rhythms too slow to move blood or too fast to allow the heart to beat properly can result in fainting or, in some cases, cardiac arrest or sudden death.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Prevention<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Tell your doctor if you have a family history of conditions that can cause an enlarged heart, such as cardiomyopathy. If cardiomyopathy or other heart conditions are diagnosed early, treatments may prevent the disease from worsening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Controlling risk factors for coronary artery disease \u2014 tobacco use, high blood pressure, high cholesterol <\/span>and<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> diabetes \u2014 helps to reduce your risk of an enlarged heart and heart failure by reducing your risk of a heart attack.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">You can help reduce your chance of developing heart failure by eating a healthy diet and not abusing alcohol or using illicit drugs. Controlling high blood pressure with diet, exercise and possibly medications also prevents many people who have an enlarged heart from developing heart failure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Diagnosis<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If you have symptoms of a heart problem, your doctor will perform a physical exam and order tests to determine if your heart is enlarged and to find the cause of your condition. These tests may include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Chest X-ray.<\/strong>X-ray images help your doctor see the condition of your lungs and heart. If your heart is enlarged on an X-ray, other tests will usually be needed to find the cause.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">This test records the electrical activity of your heart through electrodes attached to your skin. Impulses are recorded as waves and displayed on a monitor or printed on paper. This test helps your doctor diagnose heart rhythm problems and damage to your heart from a heart attack.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">This test for diagnosing and monitoring an enlarged heart uses sound waves to produce a video image of your heart. With this test, the four chambers of the heart can be evaluated.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Your doctor can use the results to see how efficiently your heart is pumping, determine which chambers of your heart are enlarged, look for evidence of previous heart attacks and determine if you have congenital heart disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Stress test.<\/strong><\/span>A<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> stress <\/span>test,<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> also called an exercise stress test, provides information about how well your heart works during physical activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">An exercise stress test usually involves walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while your heart rhythm, blood pressure <\/span>and<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> breathing are monitored.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).<\/strong>In a cardiac CT scan, you lie on a table inside a doughnut-shaped machine called a gantry. An X-ray tube inside the machine rotates around your body and collects images of your heart and chest.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">In a cardiac MRI, you lie on a table inside a long tube-like machine that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce signals that create images of your heart.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Blood tests.<\/strong> Your doctor may order blood tests to check the levels of certain substances in your blood that may point to a heart problem. Blood tests can also help your doctor rule out other conditions that may cause your symptoms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Cardiac catheterization and biopsy.<\/strong> In this procedure, a thin tube (catheter) is inserted in your groin and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart, where a small sample (biopsy) of your heart, if indicated, can be extracted for laboratory analysis.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The pressure within the chambers of your heart can be measured to see how forcefully blood pumps through your heart. Pictures of the arteries of the heart can be taken during the procedure (coronary angiogram) to ensure that you don&#8217;t have a blockage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Treatment<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Treatments for an enlarged heart focus on correcting the cause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Medications<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If cardiomyopathy or another type of heart condition is to blame for your enlarged heart, your doctor may recommend medications. These may include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Diuretics to lower the amount of sodium and water in your body, which can help lower the pressure in your arteries and heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to lower your blood pressure and improve your heart&#8217;s pumping capability<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)<\/strong>to provide the benefits of ACE inhibitors for those who can&#8217;t take ACE inhibitors<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Beta-blockers to lower blood pressure and improve heart function<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Anticoagulants to reduce the risk of blood clots that could cause a heart attack or stroke<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Anti-arrhythmic to keep your heart beating with a normal rhythm<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Medical procedures and surgeries<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If medications aren&#8217;t enough to treat your enlarged heart, medical procedures or surgery may be necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Medical devices to regulate your heartbeat.<\/strong><\/span>For<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> a certain type of enlarged heart (dilated cardiomyopathy), a pacemaker that coordinates the contractions between the left and right ventricle may be necessary. In people who may be at risk of serious arrhythmias, drug therapy or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may be an option.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">ICDs are small devices \u2014 about the size of a pager \u2014 implanted in your chest to continuously monitor your heart rhythm and deliver electrical shocks when needed to control abnormal, rapid heartbeats. The devices can also work as pacemakers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If the main cause of your enlarged heart is atrial fibrillation, then you may need procedures to return your heart to a regular rhythm or to keep your heart from beating too quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart valve surgery.<\/strong> If your enlarged heart is caused by a problem with one of your heart valves or it has caused heart valve problems, you may have surgery to repair or replace the affected valve.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Coronary bypass surgery.<\/strong> If your enlarged heart is related to coronary artery disease, your doctor may recommend coronary artery bypass surgery.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Left ventricular assist device (LVAD).<\/strong>If you have heart failure, you may need this implantable mechanical pump to help your weakened heart pump. You may have an LVAD implanted while you wait for a heart transplant or, if you&#8217;re not a heart transplant candidate, as a long-term treatment for heart failure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Heart transplant.<\/strong> If medications can&#8217;t control your symptoms, a heart transplant may be a final option. Because of the shortage of donor&#8217;s hearts, even people who are critically ill may have a long wait before having a heart transplant.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Lifestyle and home remedies<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">There are ways to improve your condition, even though you can&#8217;t cure it. Your doctor may recommend the following lifestyle changes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Quit smoking.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Lose excess weight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Limit salt in your diet.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Control diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Monitor your blood pressure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Get modest exercise, after discussing with your doctor the most appropriate program of physical activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Avoid or eliminate alcohol and caffeine.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Try to sleep eight hours nightly.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Preparing for your appointment<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If you think you may have an enlarged heart or are worried about your heart disease risk because of your family history, make an appointment with your doctor. If you have heart disease, your doctor may refer you to a heart specialist (cardiologist).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Here&#8217;s some information to help you prepare for your appointment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>What you can do<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions.<\/strong> When you make the appointment, ask if there&#8217;s anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet or fast before tests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Write down your symptoms,<\/strong> including ones that may seem unrelated to coronary artery disease.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Write down key personal information,<\/strong> including a family history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure or diabetes, and major stresses or recent life changes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Make a list of all medications,<\/strong> vitamins or supplements you&#8217;re taking.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Take a family member or friend along,<\/strong> if possible. Someone who accompanies you may remember something you missed or forgot.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Write down questions to ask your doctor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time with your doctor. For heart disease, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What tests do I need?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What&#8217;s the best treatment?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What foods should I eat or avoid?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What&#8217;s an appropriate level of physical activity?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Are there restrictions I should follow?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">How often should I be screened for heart disease? For example, how often do I need a cholesterol test?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Should I see a specialist?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Should my children be screened for this condition?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you&#8217;re prescribing?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Are there brochures or other printed materials I can take? What websites do you recommend?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Don&#8217;t hesitate to ask other questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>What to expect from your doctor?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">When did your symptoms begin?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">How severe are your symptoms?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">What is your typical diet?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Do you drink alcohol? How much?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Do you smoke?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Are you physically active? How often do you exercise?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Have you been diagnosed with other conditions?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Do you have a family history of heart disease?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/enlarged-heart\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20355436\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enlarged heart<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn&#8217;t a disease, but rather a sign of another condition. The term &#8220;cardiomegaly&#8221; refers to an enlarged heart seen on any imaging test, including a chest X-ray. Other tests are then needed to diagnose the condition causing your enlarged heart. You may develop an enlarged heart temporarily because of a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-205266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-tips"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>ENLARGED HEART - Rays of Hope Support Initiative<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rohsi.org\/?p=205266\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ENLARGED HEART - Rays of Hope Support Initiative\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Overview An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn&#8217;t a disease, but rather a sign of another condition. The term &#8220;cardiomegaly&#8221; refers to an enlarged heart seen on any imaging test, including a chest X-ray. Other tests are then needed to diagnose the condition causing your enlarged heart. 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