What is meant by swollen heart?
Swollen heart or cardiomegaly ( cardiomegaly ) is a swelling of the heart that makes its size larger than normal heart size. Swollen heart is not a disease, but a sign of a certain clinical condition or disease. Swollen heart arises as a result of a response to disturbances in the heart muscle. There are two types of swollen heart based on the cause:
- Cardiomegaly Dilatation : swollen heart due to loosening of the heart muscle so that the volume of the heart chambers becomes larger.
- Hypertrophic Cardiomegaly : swollen heart due to thickening of the heart muscle or what is known as hypertrophy. This is most often caused by high blood pressure (hypertension).
What causes a swollen heart?
Apart from congenital heart disease, there are several causes for a swollen heart, namely:
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Anemia
- Thyroid disorders
- Rarely exercise
- Heart muscle disorders
- Coronary heart disease
- Heart valve disorders
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Pregnancy
What are the symptoms of a swollen heart?
Some people who suffer from an enlarged heart do not feel any symptoms. However, there are symptoms that are commonly found in some people with a swollen heart, namely:
- Heart pounding
- Feeling exhausted
- Heart rhythm disturbances
- Shortness of breath, especially on exertion or when the body lies flat
- Weight gain due to larger heart size
- Pain in the chest
- The feet and legs are swollen
Everyone can experience and feel different symptoms. Some people experience mild symptoms for a long time, but there are also those who don't feel them at all, or can actually really feel the symptoms that appear. Therefore, this disease can only be detected after a person performs a chest x-ray examination.
How to treat a swollen heart?
Regular check-ups to the doctor are very necessary. This is done to identify the cause of the swollen heart that is experienced. After knowing the diagnosis from a doctor, treatment for a swollen heart can be in the form of administering various drugs and surgical procedures. In addition, living a healthy lifestyle is also important to avoid swelling of the heart and other heart problems. A healthy lifestyle can be:
- Maintain ideal body weight
- Quit smoking
- Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeinated drinks
- Exercise according to the doctor's recommendations
- Monitor blood pressure regularly
- Get enough rest
- Manage stress
- Reduce consumption of salt in food
- Control diabetes and high blood pressure (if any)
Those are some things you need to know about a swollen heart. Keep in mind, if the swelling gets worse, the heart's ability to pump blood will also decrease and can cause heart failure, stroke, and sudden death. So, never ignore any symptoms of a swollen heart that appear and immediately go to a doctor at a trusted hospital. #LiveExcellently
Article reviewed by dr. Johan Winata, Sp.JP (K) FIHA (Cardiologist and Blood Vessel Specialist, Interventional Cardiology Consultant at EMC Hospital Tangerang).