Help For an Enlarged Heart

An enlarged heart, also known as cardiomegaly, refers to a condition where the heart appears bigger than normal on an X-ray or other diagnostic test. An enlarged heart is actually a symptom of another condition, such as coronary artery disease or heart valve problems. An enlarged heart is also common in pregnant women. Treatment is designed to fix the underlying condition that caused the enlarged heart.

Medication

• If the cause of the enlarged heart is a weak heart muscle, your doctor may prescribe medication to improve the condition. Medications could include diuretics such as Lasix or Aldactone that lessen the amount of sodium and water in the body. Without excess fluid, less pressure is put on the arteries and the heart. Other drugs that may be prescribed include ACE inhibitors or beta blockers, which lower blood pressure, or digoxin, which promotes better heart pumping.

Regulated Heartbeat

• Depending on the type of enlarged heart, some people may need a pacemaker that works by timing the contractions of the left and right ventricles. Another device, called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), may be placed in the chest for people with heart arrhythmia. This device works by checking the rhythm of the heart and sending out electrical pulses when that rhythm becomes abnormal. An ICD can also work like a pacemaker.

Procedures

• If the underlying cause of the enlarged heart is a problem with one of the valves, you may need surgery. This entails removing the faulty valve and replacing it with an artificial valve or one created from tissue from an organ donor or an animal like a cow or a pig. If no other treatment appears to fix the underlying issue for an enlarged heart, the final option is a heart transplant. Unfortunately, according to the Mayo Clinic, getting a heart transplant is difficult, since many people need them and the list of donors is short.