Megalocardia ✝

Cardiomegaly is a medical condition in which the heart is enlarged. It is more commonly referred to as an enlarged heart. Other common names for cardiomegaly is megacardia or megalocardia, but they all refer to the same thing. The causes of cardiomegaly vary from patient to patient, depending on each case. Many times this condition results from high blood pressure (hypertension) or coronary artery disease. An enlarged heart may not pump blood effectively, resulting in congestive heart failure. Cardiomegaly may improve over time, but many people with an enlarged heart need lifelong treatment with medications. Having an immediate family member who has or had cardiomegaly may indicate that a person is more susceptible to getting this condition. Cardiomegaly is not a disease but rather a condition that can result from a host of other diseases such as obesity or coronary artery disease. Recent studies suggest that cardiomegaly is associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Cardiomegaly can be serious even though it is not an actual disease. Depending on what part of the heart is enlarged, the patient can suffer from a heart failure. Anyone can experience a heart enlargement, but not everyone will be diagnosed immediately, based on the signs and symptoms. Cardiomegaly leads to clinical heart failure and in United States nearly 5.8 million people suffer. Heart failures increase with age, more common in males, and African Americans. According to research conducted in June 2019, mentioned that half of the people diagnosed with heart failure die within 5 years, after the diagnosis. Cardiomyopathy is also associated with cardiomegaly, and it is a disease of the heart muscle, which makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to a heart failure. There are three main types of cardiomyopathy: hypertrophic, dilated, and restrictive. The difference is that cardiomegaly is a condition of the heart and cardiomyopathy is an actual disease.