Enlarged Heart

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all i know is that my grandfather on my mothers side was declared 4F from military service during WW2 for having an enlarged heart, in later years other doctors found nothing wrong with his heart.

Enlarged Heart

As the name suggests, enlarged heart is an increase in the size of the heart. It's detected by physical examination, X-ray or other imaging tests.

An enlarged heart may be caused by a thickening of the heart muscle because of increased workload. (This increased workload can be due to heart valve disease or high blood pressure, for example.) This is called hypertrophy (hi-PER'tro-fe), which refers to enlargement of an organ or tissue due to an increase in cell size.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the medical term for enlargement of the left ventricle. (The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber.) Hypertrophy also occurs in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (hi"per-TRO'fik kar"de-o-mi-OP'ah-the). Enlarged heart may also be a dilation (expansion) of the heart due to damage that weakens the heart muscle. Examples include heart attack, congestive heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy. (Cardiomyopathy is a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. For more information, see the Cardiomyopathy entry in this guide.)
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My Mother had this about 35 years ago and had to have sugery. She is 85 years old and still going strong, but she now has a pace maker.
 
this is Suregrip's wife, I'm a cardiac nurse. It all kind of depends on what the doctor is meaning. For example, a professional athlete's heart is large because he/she works it a lot and it gets bigger, just like your biceps do from lifting weights. This is good for them because it pumps a lot of blood with each squeeze and the heart rate is slower.

If it is an enlarged heart caused by damage or disease, the degree of how serious it is depends on many variables. My best advice to you is to find a good cardiologist in your area and talk to them. I am sure that some testing will be ordered and then a course of treatment can be decided. Find out all the details and ask a lot of questions. And please, don't believe everything you are going to read if you Google this. Anything can end up on Google! Good luck!
 
Thank you Mrs. Suregrip. He he he, my wife a, RN herself, was about to do the same when she heard this!
 
I agree with Suregrip's wife, talk to a cardiologist not your mechanic buddies. If it's not a problem, great, if it is, the sooner you deal with it or make the proper changes in your life the better. No male has ever lived to 70 in my family due to heart disease, I'm the oldest left and hoping to change that in 20 years.
 
I have an enlarged left ventracial on my heart. The Dr. has me
on lisinopril to keep things going ok. The Dr's. found it when
I went in for chest pains. That was very bad acid reflux.
I'm getting along vary well.
I live with fear every day. Sometimes she lets me go RACING.
 
THANKS everyone!!!!
i went to the hospital yesterday for 3-4 tests and then went back today for an X-ray of my heart in a relaxed form(yesterday WASNT relaxed!!)

they also stuck an I.V. in me and put 40 mg in my veins in 4 mins to STRESS my heart,then put in a radiation type stuff,then put this other stuff in to relax my heart....am i making sence to ANYONE???

I should know something by tuesday
 
I hope everything works out for you Mike, And I am sure your family
is very concern for you and worry allot.
I pray everything go's well for you. and you get some good news Tuesday.
hang in there bud and take a big breath and give them girls a big smile.
It will seem forever before Tuesday comes.
Are you under any doctors order's Mike? if so, Do it!!
 
My wife said;

"Absouelyetey ..SP!...you now what I mean..
You went under a non stress, stress test."

In car terms, you did a chassis dyno pull as not a 1/4 mile all out run.
Or how about...you've been bench tested instead of actually run.
The wife also notes that the stuff they put in you
radiation type stuff,
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is thallium. She said "You've been blue printed"

The thallium, under X ray, shows the veins and arteries of the heart. Kind of like when the put in the dye into a coolent leaking area and shine it with black light. They see everything.

Wifes words. Shes a RN with a liking for cars. It's cool. She fixes the kids and the cars.

Take it easy Mike, relax and stay cool.
 
Mike,i hope everything works out fine..you still owe me some races..lol..
 
mikesduster said:
THANKS everyone!!!!
i went to the hospital yesterday for 3-4 tests and then went back today for an X-ray of my heart in a relaxed form(yesterday WASNT relaxed!!)

they also stuck an I.V. in me and put 40 mg in my veins in 4 mins to STRESS my heart,then put in a radiation type stuff,then put this other stuff in to relax my heart....am i making sence to ANYONE???

I should know something by tuesday
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Yes that makes sense to me, sir. Sounds like they gave you a stress test. I have had 3. You are right, you don't feel " Relaxed" :sad1:, but trust in the doc's and listen to them. :sad4:
Please keep us updated and I shall keep you and your family and your doc's in my thoughts and prayers:angel9:
 
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