How to Diagnose an Enlarged Heart

The symptoms of an enlarged heart, or cardiomegaly, can range from heart palpitations to panic attacks to heart failure. An enlarged heart is not to be confused with the term "athlete's heart," which is larger than normal as a healthy result of aerobic training. In an enlarged heart, the muscle walls may either be thickened from having to work harder, or weakened from heart disease. More specifically, a few possible causes are as follows: overcompensation for high blood pressure, dilation of the blood vessels, and injury to the heart muscle from lack of blood (heart attack).

Instructions

• 1

  See a cardiologist for a chest X-ray, which can show if the heart is oversized compared to surrounding organs.

• 2

  Get an electrocardiogram (ECG). With an ECG, pulse monitors attached on the skin can detect rhythm abnormalities in your heartbeat.

• 3

  Get an echocardiogram. Using sound waves, your doctor can image the interior chambers of the heart to see which chambers are enlarged. This allows your doctor to differentiate between possible causes, such as high blood pressure or damaged muscle.

• 4

  Receive blood tests. Your doctor can use certain tests to look for substances in your blood that may signal an enlarged heart. For example, damaged heart tissue releases specific enzymes, such as troponin. Another possible sign is the buildup of amyloid in the heart (amyloidosis). Blood tests can also check for other conditions that produce symptoms similar to those seen in cardiomegaly.

• 5

  Get a cardiac catheterization. In this procedure, your doctor inserts a catheter, or thin plastic tube, through an artery in your groin up to the heart, allowing her to perform several tests. By inserting a pressure meter, she can take pressure readings in your heart. She can also perform coronary angiography, in which a dye visible to an external x-ray camera is injected and x-ray images of your heart are taken as the dye flows through the heart. Your doctor also may take a biopsy sample to determine the condition of the heart muscle.