The heart is the most important organ that ensures the normal functioning of all systems. With an increase in size, it is customary to talk about such a pathology as cardiomegaly. Another name for the disease is "bovine heart." Pathology poses a threat not only to health, but also to human life. With timely access to a doctor, the prognosis is usually favorable. Currently, there are effective conservative and surgical methods of treatment.
Pathogenesis
The size of the heart directly depends on the body weight of a person. In addition, the anatomical features of the chest are important. In young men, the heart volume is approximately 760 cm 3 , in women - 580 cm 3 . With age, the size of the muscle may vary slightly, which is not a pathological process.
Under the influence of various adverse factors, cardiomegaly may occur. It is customary to talk about the disease ābovine heartā when the size of the organ in adults exceeds 11 x 11 x 8.5 cm, in children - 3 x 4 x 1.8 cm. As a rule, the pathogenesis of the disease is based on an increase in one or both ventricles, their expansion, accumulation in the cavity of the final metabolic products, neoplastic processes.
Etiology
Pathology is not an independent disease. The start of the development of cardiomegaly occurs against the background of the course of other cardiovascular disorders or physiological changes. The main causes of bovine heart disease are listed below.
1. Congenital:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Congenital heart defects.
- Abnormally located valve mounting locations.
- Unhealthy lifestyle of a woman during pregnancy (unbalanced diet, uncontrolled medication, tobacco smoking, drug use and alcohol-containing drinks, injuries, infectious diseases, living in a region with an unfavorable environmental situation).
2. Acquired:
- Atherosclerosis.
- Neoplasms of both benign and malignant nature.
- Hypertension.
- Valvular heart disease.
- Myocarditis of a viral nature.
- Cardiomyopathy
- Increased blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation.
- Coronary artery disease.
- Arrhythmia.
- Diabetes.
- Iron-deficiency anemia.
- Cardiomyodystrophy.
- Smoking
- Regular use of alcohol-containing drinks.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Pathology of the thyroid gland.
- Long-term use of certain medications (in particular, Adriamycin, Methyldopa, Idarubicin, and Novokainamide).
- Impaired kidney function.
- Pericarditis.
- Endocarditis.
Regardless of the cause of the disease, the bullās heart cannot be delayed with the treatment of pathology. Although the disease develops very slowly, it leads to irreversible consequences, in particular, to death.
Risk factors
Often an ailment occurs against a background of non-pathological causes. A bullās heart disease in Wiki is seen as a problem that occurs primarily in athletes. Doctors also argue that regular and high-intensity physical activity is a major risk factor.
What is the reason for this? With any athlete, the heart muscle gets used to working in an enhanced mode over time. Its dimensions are also increasing. The development of the ābullās heartā disease occurs if a person even stops training for a short while. In addition, no athlete is safe from injuries and pathologies, the presence of which does not allow regular exercise.
As a result, the heart cannot decrease in size and continues to work in an enhanced mode. But at the same time, the body no longer needs it. The consequence is stagnation of fluid connective tissue, oxygen starvation, heart failure.
In addition, allergies are a risk factor. Even intolerance to any food product can be the impetus for the development of the disease "bovine heart". This is because the antibodies produced provoke sensitization, which often leads to autoimmune conditions. In this case, the prognosis is considered unfavorable.
As mentioned above, one of the reasons is alcoholism. According to numerous studies, beer lovers are most susceptible to pathology.
Clinical manifestations
An enlarged heart in itself is a symptom of one of the above diseases. As a personās organ parameters change, the following alarming signs appear:
- Rhythm disturbances.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Increased heart rate.
- Shortness of breath during motor activity.
- Pain in the chest.
- Excessive sweating.
These clinical manifestations are not specific, but if they occur, you need to contact a therapist or cardiologist as soon as possible.
Symptoms of the disease "bovine heart" in newborns:
- Pallor of the skin.
- Cyanosis near the mouth and around the eyes.
- Shallow breathing. It is irregular.
- Heart palpitations.
- Apathy.
- Lethargy.
- Lack of appetite.
- Swelling of the lower extremities.
- Excessive sweating.
Regardless of the causes and symptoms of the disease, the bullās heart should be shown to the pediatrician and cardiologist as soon as the childās warning signs appear. Any delay can cost the baby life. According to statistics, the survival rate among children is 50%.
Diagnostics
During the initial appointment, the doctor collects an anamnesis and conducts a physical examination of the patient. In addition, the specialist draws up a referral for a comprehensive examination, including:
- Roentgenography.
- Electrocardiography
- Echocardiography.
- Blood tests (general and biochemical).
- Evaluation of lipid metabolism.
- Research on a rheumatoid factor.
- Analysis for hormones.
- Baksev.
Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor selects the most effective method for treating the bullās heart disease. If surgical intervention is necessary, cardiac cavities are catheterized. In addition, patients before surgery are shown coronarography. With it, the doctor gets the opportunity to assess the degree of patency of the coronary arteries.
Conservative treatments
It is important to understand that cardiomegaly is not an independent disease. In this regard, initially it is necessary to get rid of the reasons for its development. The goal of treatment is to stop the progression of the disease. Currently, it is only possible to prevent further deformation of the heart.
The classical regimen for the medical treatment of pathology involves the administration or administration of the following agents:
- Antihypertensive drugs.
- Anticoagulants. Active ingredients interfere with the formation of blood clots.
- Beta blockers. Means belonging to this group normalize the work of the heart muscle.
- Diuretic drugs. They are prescribed if an excess of sodium is detected in the patient's body.
In most patients, jumps in blood pressure are detected. In such cases, drugs are additionally prescribed that normalize the indicator. In the presence of other concomitant pathologies, an appropriate treatment regimen is drawn up.
Antibacterial therapy is indicated only if an inflammatory process occurs in the patient's body.
Medication will not lead to a positive result if a person does not follow the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Doctors recommend that all patients give up smoking and drinking alcohol-containing drinks. In addition, it is necessary to regularly subject the body to moderate physical exertion.
Surgical intervention
With the ineffectiveness of conservative methods, the doctor assesses the feasibility of surgical treatment. The purpose of the intervention is to normalize or maintain the functioning of the heart muscle.
Currently, the following surgical treatment methods are used in practice:
- Valve implantation.
- Installation of a pacemaker.
- Coronary bypass surgery.
- Installation of devices providing auxiliary blood circulation.
In most cases, the quality of life of people after surgery improves significantly. Often, the progression of pathology can be stopped.
Diet adjustment
All patients must follow a diet. The basic principles of clinical nutrition:
- For breakfast you need to eat cereals from various cereals. The ideal dessert is fruit.
- For lunch, you must eat meals with a high protein content and food of plant origin.
- Dinner should consist exclusively of low-calorie dishes.
- In between meals, you can snack on vegetables, fruits and low-fat yogurt.
With cardiomegaly, it is forbidden to eat canned food, sugar, fatty foods, animal products.
Forecast
The outcome of the disease directly depends on the timeliness of going to the doctor. With proper treatment, the deformation of the organ stops. But, in order to prevent deterioration of health, it is necessary to constantly follow the recommendations of doctors.
With regards to how much they live with the disease ābullās heartā. In children, the prognosis is poor. The survival rate is 50%. In this case, a fatal outcome most often occurs before the age of three months. One part of the survivors recovers completely, while the other reveals signs of heart failure.
In adults, the prognosis is more favorable. An exception is cardiomegaly, the development of which was provoked by the use of alcohol-containing drinks. More than a third of alcoholics die within 3 years after the development of the disease. The main causes of death are thromboembolism and heart failure.
Finally
A bovine heart disease (cardiomegaly) is a pathology characterized by an increase in organ size. The disease is a danger not only to health, but also to life. In this regard, the doctor must be consulted when the first alarming signs appear.