Cardiologists have an incomprehensible vocabulary. And if at the reception the doctor reports that signs of hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart were found, you are confused and panicked: what does this term mean, is it a heart attack on the way?
Arriving home, look for a transcript of the diagnosis on the Internet. Then you grieve, realizing that the fate is unenviable - validol in your pocket and the complete absence of any cute, but bad habits. You are right with the hazards, but you can wait a little with the validol. It is easier to methodically destroy the causes that led to hypertrophy, and the condition will improve.
Left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy (LVH) is characteristic of cardiological pathologies; it is incorrect to consider it an age-related feature of the elderly. LVH is the first sign that the cardiovascular system is failing, and the last compensated step before serious illnesses. Let us analyze in detail the signs of LVH, find out how it affects well-being. And we will also answer the main question - how to behave for a patient in order to live happily and for a long time, even with a hypertrophied left ventricle.
Hypertrophy as it is
We will not go into the details of anatomy, we will only recall that the human heart has 2 ventricles and 2 atria that perform heart contractions.
The left ventricle is the first to take on disruptions in cardiovascular activity, and responds to them. To cope with the load during hypertension, arrhythmias or high physical stress, the left ventricle is “protected” in a certain way - the muscle walls gradually thicken, the cavity expands. It is clear that dense muscle tissues are less able to contract than healthy and elastic ones, so changes appear on the ECG.
Figure 1 shows a variant of a normal electrocardiogram. It is not at all necessary to understand what the ECG lines mean, you should not take bread from functionalist doctors. But for comparison, consider Figure 2. This is what an ECG record of a patient with severe LV hypertrophy looks like.
On this ECG recording, teeth and segments are clearly visible, indicating the normal functioning of the myocardium. If changes occur in the heart muscle, then the graphical curve will change. Moreover, each segment of a normal ECG - pictures is responsible for a certain cardiac department. With LV hypertrophy, Q and S waves may be absent, the RST segment is displaced, and the depth of the S wave changes. The very first P wave may be strongly negative in lead V1. In addition to those listed, there are additional changes, but we have given the most common ones.
In Figure 2, you can see what the ECG of a patient with left ventricular hypertrophy looks like.
ECG does not always indicate pathology. Often, hypertrophy is observed in people who expose themselves to high loads - for example, in professional athletes. But the modified cardiogram is a direct guide to action. It is necessary to get competent cardiological consultation, if necessary - treatment and additional examination. Now let's talk about diseases and habits that cause LVH.
Factors - provocateurs
Signs of left ventricular hypertrophy can provoke both pathological and physiological causes. Pathological - these are ailments that are congenital or acquired during life. These include:
- Defects of the heart muscle;
- Hypertonic disease;
- Congenital anatomical defects of the myocardium;
- Atherosclerosis and other pathologies.
Physiological causes of LVH include overload associated with either increased sports training or professional duties. Of course, you should not refuse seasonal work in the country for fear of hypertrophy, but you should always distribute the load correctly. Smoking, physical inactivity - these are also factors - provocateurs.
What about age, you ask? And the assertion that heart disease is the usual lot of the elderly? We will try to convince you that venerable years and hypertrophy are by no means synonymous. We understand what causes age-related hypertrophy of the heart.
Features of advanced age
LV hypertrophy in the elderly is a common phenomenon. Associated with atherosclerotic changes. Vessels carrying blood to the heart become less elastic and flexible, atherosclerotic plaques narrow their lumen, tissues and muscles begin to suffer from a lack of nutrition and oxygen.
The causes of atherosclerosis are banal - everything that you love in your youth gradually accumulates in the body in the form of unnecessary fats and forms these very plaques. Recall that the constant associates and friends of atherosclerosis are:
- Fatty and rich food.
- Smoked meats, marinades, addiction to salt and .
- Hypodynamia and improper rest. Everyone likes to lie on the couch, but it would be necessary to go to the pool, to the skating rink, to the football field.
- Lack of sleep . An interesting night job, an urgent report, an exciting computer game often steal your night's sleep? Atherosclerosis will only be happy about this.
- Smoking, coffee addiction. Remember that coffee breaks should not become a way of life.
The myocardium is a muscle that works non-stop. And the lack of any nutrients for her is a tragedy. First, left ventricular hypertrophy will develop, and for some time you will not feel any pathological symptoms. And after that, the state of health will change rapidly, shortness of breath and retrosternal pain will appear. Only memories will remain about playing football or swimming, the ECG teeth will change, and visits to the pharmacy and clinic will gain the necessary popularity. If this scenario does not suit you, take action. Right now. Eliminate bad habits, change the mode immediately.
Symptoms and necessary diagnosis
LV hypertrophy is insidious in that it can be asymptomatic for some time. Therefore, the patient begins treatment already in advanced stages, having a chronic pathology in his arsenal. To prevent this from happening, pay attention to the following conditions:
- Increased fatigue and decreased ability to work productively;
- Chest pain, dizziness and shortness of breath;
- Tremor of the hands, excessive sweating or severe pallor;
- Pressure drops, palpitations and uneven pulse;
- Short-term "fading" of heart contractions;
- Edema, fainting.
Each symptom requires a diagnosis. First of all, you need to do an electrocardiogram. The further scenario is simple: with the result of the ECG, go to the cardiologist, and he will decide what additional examinations are needed. To clarify the causes of LVH and a detailed diagnosis, the following can be prescribed:
- ECG with a large number of leads;
- Biochemistry of blood;
- Ultrasound of the heart;
- Holter monitoring.
As an addition, kidney studies are prescribed, especially in hypertension - isotope renography, etc. They need to go through and follow the doctor's recommendations meticulously. Otherwise, the disease will take revenge on you.
If not treated
If you do not pay attention to changes in the heart muscle, confirmed by the examination, ignore the recommendations of the doctor, soon one of the diagnoses will appear in the outpatient card:
- Chronic heart failure;
- Arrhythmia;
- Stable or unstable angina.
- Cardiac ischemia.
These pathologies are life-threatening in the literal sense. They will not allow you to do without medicines and a regimen.
What to do
Eliminating the causes that provoke pathology is the only correct way out. to constant normal indicators, to normalize the regimen and diet is a paramount and feasible task. An annual medical examination against the background of complete health and excellent well-being will help anticipate the development of the disease, do not refuse to visit the clinic.
Food with restriction of cholesterol-containing products is recommended, the Mediterranean diet is considered optimal. Sufficient mobility, rest in the air, a good night's sleep and will lead to the fact that signs of hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart simply do not appear. If this happened, and the cardiologist prescribed treatment, take the medicine regularly. Sometimes medications are prescribed for life.
Some blood pressure medications, such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors, can significantly reduce LVH, if not regression. Be attentive to yourself, keep your heart healthy until old age!
Portrait of hypertrophy
Before proceeding to the description of the electrocardiographic signs of hypertrophy (enlargement) of the right and left ventricles, let us dwell on some aspects of pathophysiology and anatomy. Together we will try to imagine and describe what a hypertrophied myocardium looks like. Perhaps this will help someone to remember the signs of hypertrophy (increase) faster and easier. So, normally, the left ventricle (LV) in its mass exceeds the right almost 3 times. This fact is explained by the fact that the LV works in conditions of high resistance. He needs to overcome the vascular resistance that is created in the aorta - the efferent vessel.
The right ventricle (RV) is much lighter, it does not encounter such vascular resistance. Therefore, he does not need such muscle mass as his neighbor. A prerequisite for the formation of remodeling of the right and left ventricle (LV) is an additional increased resistance that one or the other has to overcome. With an increase in pressure in a small circle (pulmonary blood flow), the pancreas experiences a load. With an increase in pressure in the aorta or if there is an obstacle to the normal functioning of the left ventricle for other reasons, this chamber of the heart experiences an increased load.
In order to cope with the situation and perform its pumping function, as before, the muscle fibers of the right or left ventricle thicken and lengthen. It seems that these are good compensatory mechanisms. This chamber of the heart will become stronger and work harder. But everything has its own margin of safety. And the ventricles in this situation are no exception. For some time, these chambers of the heart work at their former level, but then, sooner or later, compensatory mechanisms are depleted. The heart muscle begins to lose its pumping function. What new characteristics does the right or left ventricle acquire in the case of formed hypertrophy? Muscle fibers lengthen and thicken.
The camera is increased in size and weight. Sclerotic (proliferation of connective tissue) and dystrophic processes in the myocardium due to the depletion of energy reserves in the cell. An increase in the electromotive force of the heart and an increase in the excitation vector of the ventricle. The thicker the myocardium, the more energy the heart needs to expend in order for the electrical impulse to excite the entire thickness of the myocardium. Accordingly, the excitation time of the ventricle also increases. All these moments lead to changes on the electrocardiogram, indicating the presence of hypertrophy.
2 Signs of left ventricular hypertrophy
An enlarged left ventricle (LV) spends more time on excitation and contraction. Accordingly, on the ECG this will be manifested by certain signs. On the electrocardiogram, signs of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) will be recorded in the left chest leads, which include V5 and V6. Not only the left, but also the right chest leads (V1 and V2) will have signs indicating an increase in the left sections. Today there are many diagnostic criteria for LVH, but none of them is 100% accurate and reliable. For the accuracy of the diagnosis, it is necessary to take into account not only the combination of signs, but also their addition to the data of non-functional diagnostics. Here are the most commonly used criteria:
- Deviation of the electric axis to the left. The electrocardiographic picture takes on a characteristic appearance in standard leads, when R is the largest in the first standard lead. The following ratio is observed in amplitude in I, II, III: RI>RII>RIII.
- Changes in the height (amplitude) of the R wave. In the first standard lead, it is the largest and is more than 11 mm.
- In standard lead III, the sum of S and R in its amplitude is more than 25 mm.
- In aVL, the R wave is more than 11 mm.
- In aVF, the R wave is more than 20 mm.
- In aVR, the S wave is greater than 14 mm.
Changes are also noticeable in the left chest leads, which may indicate the presence of LVH:
- Maximum height R in V5, V6. Normally, the maximum R should be in V4. In V4, V5, or V6, the R wave is greater than 26 mm.
- For greater accuracy, the Sokolov-Lyon index is used, according to which the sum of R V5 or in V6 and S in V1 is calculated. The diagnostic sign of LVH is the sum of the teeth more than 35 mm.
- The Cornell Index is also used to diagnose LVH. The amplitude R in lead aVL is calculated with the amplitude S in lead V3. The amount in men is more than 28 mm, and in women more than 20 mm indicates a possible LVH.
- The sum of the highest amplitude of the R wave with the deepest S wave in the chest leads more than 35 mm indicates left ventricular hypertrophy.
- ST segment depression and T inversion in V5, V6, indicating LV overload.
- ST segment elevation in chest leads V1, V2, V3.
3 Signs of right ventricular hypertrophy
Right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy is less common than left ventricular hypertrophy. Signs of RV enlargement on the ECG will be recorded in the right chest leads. Changes characteristic of RV enlargement will be recorded in leads III, aVF, V1, V2. Signs of hypertrophy of the pancreas are as follows:
- Deviation of the electrical axis of the heart to the right. The dominant R will be in standard lead I. RIII>RII>RI.
- The height R in V1 is greater than 7 mm. The R wave in this lead will dominate in amplitude over the S wave.
- S will be maximum in V6 - more than 7 mm.
- The widening of the QRS complex is greater than 0.12 sec.
- ST segment depression and T inversion in III, aVF, V1,V2.
4 Signs of double chamber hypertrophy
Even more rarely, on an electrocardiogram, you can notice an increase in two chambers of the heart at the same time. Often, an increase in the RV is not visible due to the fact that signs of left ventricular hypertrophy overlap it. There may be the following ECG signs:
- The combination of signs of LVH with a simultaneous deviation of the electrical axis of the heart to the right.
- A combination of signs of an increase in the pancreas and deviation of the electrical axis of the heart to the left.
- Tall R wave in V5, V6, as well as a high R wave more than 7 mm in V1, V2.
- If there are signs of prostate enlargement, there is no S wave in V5-6.
- The combination of hypertrophy of the left ventricle from the right leg of the bundle of His.
Today there is a great opportunity to make a diagnosis using an echocardiographic study that does not violate the integrity of the body. It is only required to install the sensor on the surface of the patient's chest to obtain information about the state of his cardiovascular system. Therefore, in unclear cases, the latter method is indispensable in making a correct diagnosis.
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Considering the question: "Hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart, what is it and how can it be treated?" I want to note right away that hypertrophy is a manifestation of a disease, and not a separate pathology.
Most often, this is a symptom of a problem with the cardiovascular system, it is detected in all age groups, including at a young age and in children, while mortality is up to 4% of all cases. Patients with ventricular hypertrophy have stable hypertension.
What it is?
Hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart is a thickening of the wall of this department compared to the norm. The volume of the internal space remains unchanged, and the thickness of the muscle layer increases towards the outside. With hypertrophy, the septum between the ventricles often undergoes changes.
The wall loses its elasticity, and thickening is uniform or present only in some of its sections. Often the myocardium expands unevenly in violation of the heart valves - aortic and mitral.
Thickening can also affect only the upper part of the myocardium (apical hypertrophy), be symmetrical or circular.
The causes of left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart are two groups of factors:
- Physiological, associated with excessive stress in athletes and people whose work is associated with hard physical labor.
- Pathological, among them congenital disorders (poor outflow of blood from the ventricle, abnormal structure of the partitions and walls) and acquired (obesity or overweight, physical inactivity, bad habits, diseases).
What should be normal blood pressure in a healthy person:
Of diseases myocardial thickening is most often provoked by:
- hypertension, in which the left ventricle contracts with great force to push blood;
- aortic valve stenosis prevents normal blood flow, which also serves as a load on the myocardium;
- atherosclerosis of the aorta;
- pulmonary edema;
- heart failure;
- glomerulonephritis;
- myocardial infarction.
An important factor is the influence of heredity - the risk of developing hypertrophy is increased if this problem is present in the family history of the disease.
Signs and symptoms of left ventricular hypertrophy
With hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle, there may be no symptoms for a long time, and the person does not feel any pain or discomfort. This is due to the fact that at the first stages, the increasing walls are still quite elastic and do a good job of pumping blood. In this case, the thickening can be detected by chance during the passage of the ECG. However, symptoms may appear in the early stages of the problem.
A characteristic symptom of hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle is angina pectoris. It occurs due to the constant compression of blood vessels that deliver nutrients and oxygen to the heart muscle.
Angina pectoris is manifested by pain in the chest, heart area and shortness of breath - these are its two most important signs. The pain is usually compressive and may radiate to the left arm or shoulder, under the collarbone. Attacks of angina first last about 5 minutes, and as the walls of the ventricle thicken, their duration increases. Often they can be provoked by physical activity, overeating.
Unstable angina is a dangerous condition that threatens the development of myocardial infarction and related complications:
Shortness of breath most often accompanies pain and appears due to the fact that the contractile activity of the heart is impaired, which is facilitated by the development of left atrial insufficiency. In the later stages, it occurs not only under stress, but also at rest.
Other symptoms hypertrophies are:
- dizziness;
- fatigue, weakness;
- high blood pressure;
- bad sleep;
- arrhythmia;
- fading of the heart;
- headache;
- fainting.
All these manifestations serve as a good reason to go to the cardiologist and undergo an electrocardiographic examination.
Why is left ventricular hypertrophy dangerous?
Hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle is dangerous because it can provoke a heart attack or stroke, and in the worst case, sudden cardiac arrest and death (about 4% of all patients).
The risk group includes people who are overweight, smokers and people who abuse alcohol.
A great danger is also the situation when an untrained person with a sedentary lifestyle exposes himself to intense physical exertion.
Diagnostics
In the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy, the following methods are used:
- Echocardiogram (Doppler and two-dimensional);
- PET (positron emission tomography);
- The degree of hypertrophy is determined by calculating the myocardial mass index.
Treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy begins with the identification and elimination of its cause. Of the drugs in the case of an acquired disease of the cardiovascular system, funds are used to improve the functioning of the myocardium and its nutrition, to restore the correct rhythm.
Among them:
- Calcium channel blockers - Diltiazem, Verapamil (for heart attack, angina pectoris, arrhythmia), Amlodipine, Nimotop (for hypertension);
- Beta-blockers - Betaxolol, Sotalol, Bisoprolol, Atenolol and others - reduce myocardial oxygen demand, in particular, during stress and physical exertion, relieve pain during angina attacks;
- Antihypertensive drugs - Ramipril, Enalapril.
Reception of beta-blockers is carried out with a gradual increase in dose and strict control of blood pressure and.
If the drugs do not give a result, then they resort to surgical treatment, it is also indicated for congenital heart defects that led to hypertrophy.
The operation is to give the wall of the ventricle a normal shape and thickness. In the postoperative period, symptomatic therapy is carried out.
Success in the treatment of hypertrophy of the left ventricle largely depends on the lifestyle of the patient. It is important to give up bad habits, do not forget about daily moderate activity (walking, swimming, aerobics). The diet should be rich in vitamins, easily digestible vegetable fats, calcium, magnesium, fiber and contain a minimum of salt, sugars, muffins and fatty foods.
People with ventricular hypertrophy should carefully monitor their well-being and undergo a systematic examination by a cardiologist.
The left ventricle of the heart has the greatest load, since it must push out the blood with such force that it reaches all peripheral tissues. This is due to the more frequent development of hypertrophic lesions of the muscular wall of the heart. Normal hypertrophy can only be in people who are engaged in systematic physical activity - the so-called athlete's heart. In other cases, thickening of the myocardium indicates the presence of pathological changes in the human body.
The mechanism of development of left ventricular hypertrophy
Left ventricular hypertrophy
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is one of the most common cardiac pathologies. Patients with hypertension are at the highest risk of developing the disease. The disease is characterized by thickening of the heart muscle in the left ventricle.
At the initial stage, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, but in the future, symptoms of chronic heart failure develop. Depending on the etiology, the following types of hypertrophy are distinguished:
The mechanism of the development of the disease is based on an increase in the load on the muscle wall - due to increased pressure, the presence of an obstacle to the expulsion of blood, increased work of the myocardium and other reasons. The heart is a muscular organ. And, like any muscle, it responds to the load by increasing its volume. But if for skeletal muscles this is acceptable and even good, then for the heart, in most cases, an increase in wall thickness is a pathology that leads to various disorders.
At the initial stages, when the load is moderate, hypertrophy is insignificant, and patients do not feel any changes in their condition. This lasts until there is a breakdown of compensatory mechanisms. Due to the fact that the wall increases, the cavity of the ventricle decreases and there is nowhere for blood to accumulate during the relaxation period. And since the blood presses on the heart from the inside, the structure of the organ begins to change. And the smaller the volume of the chamber, the more the configuration of the heart begins to change.
The next step after the thickening of the heart muscle is the extension of the ventricular cavity and the formation of concentric hypertrophy. In order to hold enough volume, the chamber of the heart stretches its cone-shaped structure and thereby increases the capacity of the blood.
But at this stage, the changes do not end there. Without treatment of the pathology that provokes the load, the muscle fibers begin to stretch not only in length, but also in width. And the last stage is the development of eccentric hypertrophy. The heart takes on a bag-like shape, its chambers are stretched and have a thin muscular wall. Such an organ can no longer perform its function, and this condition is dangerous because congestive heart failure develops. As a result, patients are diagnosed with disability.
a) the norm; b) concentric hypertrophy; c) eccentric
Causes of pathology
The reasons leading to an increase in the load on the heart can be divided into two large groups - acquired and congenital.
Congenital conditions include such conditions as:
- Coarctation of the aorta - narrowing of the aorta in any area.
- Congenital stenosis of the aortic valve.
- The presence of only one ventricle.
There are a lot of acquired causes, but the most common of them are as follows:
- Arterial hypertension. Increased pressure creates an excessive load on the work of the myocardium.
- Stenosis of the aortic valve. Due to atherosclerotic lesions, the aortic valves thicken, increase in volume and lose their elasticity. As a result, they cannot open normally during systole and create an obstacle to blood flow. The heart needs to exert more force to push blood through the narrowed opening.
- Aortic valve insufficiency. This is the reverse of stenosis. After systole, the aortic valve cusps must close to prevent blood from flowing back into the ventricle. But in case of insufficiency, the valves do not close the entire lumen of the aorta and the blood returns to the left chamber. Due to the excess blood, the myocardium needs to increase the force in the next systole (contraction) in order to push out a larger volume.
Also, the following pathologies can lead to hypertrophy of the myocardium of the left ventricle:
- cardiac ischemia;
- arrhythmias;
- obesity;
- diabetes;
- bad habits.
Symptoms
The main symptom is the presence of thickening of the myocardial wall, most often it is detected by ultrasound and electrocardiographic examination. Usually, hypertrophy affects the walls of not only the ventricle, but also the interventricular septum. All this leads to the expansion of the boundaries of the heart to the left. This is easily determined during percussion (tapping) and auscultation (listening).
Quite often, for a long time, the disease does not give any symptoms and it is detected by chance during preventive examinations on electrocardiography.
There are situations when patients already at the initial stages begin to present specific complaints and come to see a doctor. The most common signs of the disease are:
- Increased heart rate.
- The appearance of pain in the chest.
- Feeling of pressure in the chest.
- The appearance of edema.
- The occurrence of shortness of breath.
- The appearance of interruptions in the work of the heart.
In addition to the above, there are symptoms that occur with other diseases, but in combination with the main ones, they may indicate the presence of thickening of the myocardium. These indirect symptoms include:
- Prolonged and persistent increase in blood pressure.
- Headache.
- Sleep disturbance.
- General weakness and malaise.
- Pain in the region of the heart.
In the case of congestive heart failure, the following symptoms appear:
- Marked dyspnea.
- Edema of the extremities, which increases in the evening.
- Pulmonary edema develops, which further increases respiratory failure.
- Pain in the region of the heart intensifies.
- Acrocyanosis is observed - the tip of the nose, nail plates, fingers become bluish.
Children most often develop idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy, which is associated with genetic mutations. In a child, the myocardial wall begins to diffusely increase, and this process can be stopped only with the help of surgical operations.
Treatment
It is impossible to completely cure left ventricular hypertrophy. Modern methods of therapy can only stop the progression of the disease and reduce symptoms.
Depending on the cause of the disease, the methods of treatment will also differ. If there are congenital or acquired defects of the valvular apparatus or the heart, then surgical interventions are performed:
- aortic valve replacement;
- closure of defects of the interventricular or interatrial septum;
- with idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - excision of hypertrophied tissues and wrapping the heart with a special mesh that prevents further growth of the muscle tissue of the heart.
Drug treatments are used for various acquired diseases. For example, in ischemic disease and arterial hypertension, since these pathologies are almost always combined with each other and most often lead to left ventricular hypertrophy. To treat these diseases in order to reduce the load on the heart, various drugs are prescribed:
- Beta-blockers - significantly reduce blood pressure and reduce the purity of heart contractions. They lengthen diastole (relaxation of the heart) and thereby reduce the load on the heart.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. They are used for arterial hypertension to reduce pressure, they are also included in the complex treatment of congestive heart failure.
- Antiarrhythmic drugs can treat disorders in the conduction system. Use such means as Kordaron, Aritmil, etc.
- Calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure, dilate blood vessels and reduce afterload on the heart muscle.
- Diuretics are used for arterial hypertension and heart failure, they reduce post- and preload on the heart. This happens due to the fact that they remove excess fluid from the body and reduce the volume of circulating blood.
Therapeutic tactics should be comprehensive, since it is useless to treat hypertrophy itself without eliminating the cause. Folk remedies to get rid of this disease will not work. Some medicinal plants are used in combination as supportive therapy, but not on their own. For this purpose, sedative drugs are used - tincture of valerian, motherwort, mint. They calm the nervous system, reduce the manifestations of stress, thereby reducing the external load on the heart (from the central nervous system). For heart diseases, hawthorn tincture is also used. It has the ability to lower blood pressure and normalize the work of the heart.
The prognosis of left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy primarily depends on the stage of the disease. The sooner the disease is detected and treated, the higher the chances of recovery. If severe heart failure develops, then the patient is shown a heart transplant.
Left ventricular hypertrophy (cardiomyopathy) is a typical heart lesion for patients diagnosed with hypertension. Left ventricular hypertrophy, the symptoms of which allow us to consider this pathology as a process involving structural adaptation of the heart in relation to metabolic needs relevant to the myocardium, as well as changes occurring in hemodynamic parameters, is quite dangerous in the sense that often the end of the disease is death.
general description
According to statistics, the mortality rate for left ventricular hypertrophy is about 4%. Consider the features of this disease.
Hypertrophy provokes a significant thickening of the wall of the left ventricle, and this thickening does not occur at all due to the characteristics of the internal space, which is not subject to changes. Quite often, hypertrophy also leads to a modification of the septum located between the right and left ventricles. Due to the ongoing hypertrophic changes, there is a loss of elasticity by the wall, while its thickening can occur both evenly and in specific areas of localization. All these features directly affect the course of the disease.
Remarkably, left ventricular hypertrophy is often noted among young people, and often in itself it is not even a disease, nor is it a diagnosis, representing only one of the possible symptoms of any type of heart disease.
As we have already noted, left ventricular hypertrophy can develop due to hypertension. In addition, among the predisposing factors, there are various types of heart defects, frequent and significant loads.
This disease also occurs against the background of stable high blood pressure. Meanwhile, it was found that hypertrophy with its inherent changes can also occur, as we noted, during physical exertion, which in particular involves the appearance of a state of borderline loading (loaders, athletes, unstable distribution of loads).
The sharp and, at the same time, intense load that the myocardium receives in people whose lifestyle is predominantly sedentary, as well as in people who smoke and drink alcohol daily, becomes dangerous. And if left ventricular hypertrophy does not lead to death, then this does not make it safe for the patient, because either can occur due to it, which often entails quite serious consequences for the body. The nature of the occurrence of the disease can be congenital (hereditary) or acquired.
Summing up, it can be noted that left ventricular hypertrophy acts as an alarm indicating the complication of the conditions in which the myocardium is currently located. That is, it is in some way a warning that indicates the need to stabilize blood pressure, as well as the correct distribution of the load.
Symptoms of left ventricular hypertrophy
Hypertrophy provokes significant modifications that occur in the region of the walls of the left ventricle. A characteristic feature of the disease is that the expansion is distributed outwards. Quite often, along with wall thickening, the septum located between the ventricles also acquires thickening.
The symptoms of the disease in question are characterized by heterogeneity of manifestations. In some cases, patients for many years may not even be aware that they have left ventricular hypertrophy, but the option is not excluded, in which its very beginning for the patient is literally unbearable due to poor health.
The most common sign indicating left ventricular hypertrophy is, whose development occurs as a result of compression of the vessels that provide nutrition to the heart muscle. Ultimately, there is an increase in muscle size and its consumption of more oxygen in combination with nutrients. In addition to this symptom, it also occurs, manifestations are noted in the form of atrial fibrillation and myocardial starvation.
A condition in which the heart stops for a few moments and does not beat at all can also be frequent, which, in turn, provokes a loss of consciousness. Sometimes shortness of breath may indicate the presence of the disease we are considering. Additionally, a number of the following symptoms are noted:
- pressure instability;
- headache;
- sleep disorders;
- poor health and general weakness;
- pain in the region of the heart;
- pain in the chest area.
Among the diseases in which hypertrophy itself is one of the symptoms characterizing their course, the following are distinguished:
- myocardial infarction;
Left ventricular hypertrophy: treatment
Treatment of hypertrophy consists in the use of verapamil in combination with beta-blockers, due to which the symptoms provoked by the cardiovascular system are reduced. As an addition to drug therapy, diet is supposed to be followed, as well as the rejection of existing bad habits.
Accordingly, you will have to quit smoking, reduce your salt intake, and lose weight. The diet should include dairy / sour-milk products, seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits. It will also be necessary to reduce the amount of consumed flour products, sweets and animal fats. Physical activity should be moderate.
The possibility of surgical intervention, which consists in the removal of a section of the heart muscle that has undergone hypertrophy, is also not ruled out. It is noteworthy that the development of left ventricular hypertrophy is often noted for more than a dozen years.
If symptoms relevant to left ventricular hypertrophy occur, a cardiologist should be consulted.
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Diseases with similar symptoms:
Heart defects are anomalies and deformations of individual functional parts of the heart: valves, septa, openings between vessels and chambers. Due to their improper functioning, blood circulation is disturbed, and the heart ceases to fully fulfill its main function - supplying oxygen to all organs and tissues.
