An enlarged heart is considered as an increase in the size of the heart that can be instigated by an increase in the thickness of the heart muscles. The condition is cardiomegaly which is a usually a symptom of certain conditions such as high blood pressure or coronary artery disease. In case an individual has an enlarged heart, he/she is at risk for developing additional health complications.
Heart failure
An enlarged heart can disrupt with the ability of the heart to pump adequate levels of blood all over the body. The heart muscle can end up stressed since it could no longer comply with the demands of the body. This can cause the heart muscles to weaken and can prevent the heart from pumping blood efficiently, thus resulting to heart failure.
Heart murmur
When an individual has an enlarged heart, the two valves inside the heart particularly the mitral and tricuspid valves are not functioning properly. Always bear in mind that an enlarged heart can cause the valves to become dilated, thus preventing the valves from closing properly once the heart beats. In case these valves do not close properly, blood can flow backwards to the heart. The backflow of blood produces a specific sound called a heart murmur that can be detected by the doctor. Even though a heart murmur will not produce additional symptoms, it should be monitored by the doctor.
Blood clots
An enlarged heart can increase the risk for the development of blood clots inside the heart. Once the heart pumps ordinarily, the blood clots can separate from the heart and flow via the circulatory system. If this happens, the blood clots can oftentimes clog up within the blood vessels as well as prevent the normal flow of blood.
If the circulation of blood is cut off from the vital organs such as the heart or brain, the individual can suffer from a heart attack or stroke. The blood clots that develop on the right side of the heart can detach and flow via the blood and into the lungs. In case the blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the lungs, the individual is at risk for developing pulmonary embolism which is a life-threatening condition.
Cardiac arrest and sudden death
An enlarged heart can disrupt with the normal rhythm of the heartbeat. In case an enlarged heart triggers the heartbeat to drop significantly, the heart might not be able to pump blood throughout the body. On the other hand, an enlarged heart can cause the heartbeat to rapidly increase which drastically disrupts with the ability of the heart to pump blood all over the body. These alterations in the rhythm of the heartbeat can lead to fainting in some individuals. As for severe circumstances, the heart will go on cardiac arrest which can lead to death. If you will enroll in a first aid class, you are prepared to handle an individual experiencing cardiac arrest.