Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Left ventricular hypertrophy is the enlargement and thickening of the heart wall of the left chamber of the heart. The left chamber of the heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. Hypertrophy makes the pumping process inefficient because it causes the chambers to become weak, stiff and lose their elasticity preventing blood from flowing.
Left ventricular hypertrophy is common in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. In addition there are several other risk factors, such as:
• Age. Older people are more likely to have left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Weight. People who are overweight and obese have a higher risk of hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Family history. Genetic conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
• Diabetics have a higher risk.
• Gender. Women with hypertension are more at risk than men with the same blood pressure.
Left ventricular hypertrophy should be treated because it can cause complications. Some of the complications that can occur are heart failure, heart attack and ischemic stroke which can be fatal.
Symptom
Patients with left ventricular hypertrophy usually do not experience any symptoms at first. As the condition worsens, several symptoms will appear, such as:
- hard to breathe
- weak
- chest pain especially when exercising
- heart palpitations or fast heart rate
- dizziness or fainting
In the following conditions, the patient should immediately seek medical help:
- chest pain lasting more than a few minutes
- severe shortness of breath
- Severe and recurrent lightheadedness or loss of consciousness
Reason
Left ventricular hypertrophy is caused by the heart muscle working too hard so that the muscle thickens. Several medical conditions can cause this, such as:
Hypertension is the most common cause of left ventricular hypertrophy. More than one third of hypertensive patients have left ventricular hypertrophy when diagnosed with hypertension.
Diabetics are at one and a half times greater risk of developing left ventricular hypertrophy. This may be related to central obesity.
- Heart valve problems such as stenosis or regurgitation
Heart valve problems, such as stenosis or narrowing of the valves, cause the left ventricle to work harder. So it can cause hypertrophy.
- Other heart problems
Heart problems, such as heart rhythm disturbances or arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, and enlarged aorta, can also cause left ventricular hypertrophy.
Genetics can also cause left ventricular hypertrophy, which is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In addition, athletes usually experience left ventricular hypertrophy due to prolonged strength and endurance training. This makes the heart become accustomed to working excessively. However, it is still unclear whether the type of left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes will also cause heart muscle stiffness and disease.
Diagnosis
In the process of establishing a diagnosis, doctors usually suspect left ventricular hypertrophy from known symptoms through a series of detailed medical interviews. Apart from that, the doctor will also do a physical examination. However, in the early stages it is quite difficult to determine the diagnosis of this condition because it generally does not give symptoms.
However, a routine examination of the heart record (ECG) or echocardiogram can show left ventricular hypertrophy even though symptoms have not yet appeared. After the doctor suspects left ventricular hypertrophy, the doctor can confirm the diagnosis through supporting examinations, such as an EKG, echocardiogram, X-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment
Handling of left ventricular hypertrophy is done by treating the cause, such as heart valve problems, high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders or diabetes. Treatment varies, ranging from healthy lifestyle changes, drugs, even surgery,
A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, avoiding foods high in fat and salt, and stopping smoking are very important to do. Medications including ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, ARBs (Angiotensin II receptor blockers), beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics may also be needed. Surgery may be done for heart valve problems.
Correcting these medical conditions will help reduce the workload of the heart. Thus, it will also improve the condition of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Prevention
Efforts to prevent left ventricular hypertrophy can be done by changing lifestyles. If you have high blood pressure, you should have regular heart checks – especially if you are a smoker and are overweight.
Regular exercise of at least 30 minutes for 5 days a week can reduce high blood pressure. Monitor your food, avoid foods high in fat and salt, and increase your consumption of vegetables and fruit.