Heart problems can hardly be considered a rarity. Why does left ventricular hypertrophy occur , what is it and what symptoms are accompanied by? Why is this condition dangerous? What treatment methods do modern doctors use? These questions interest many.
Left ventricular hypertrophy: what is it and what are its causes?
Hypertrophy is accompanied by proliferation of muscle fibers, an increase in heart chambers, as a result of which the normal configuration of the heart changes . Not only adults are prone to such changes. Often diagnosed with left ventricular hypertrophy in children. It is worth noting that in most cases, such changes in the myocardium indicate the presence of dangerous diseases.
Often the cause of hypertrophy is persistent hypertension (a condition accompanied by an increase in blood pressure). In childhood, the proliferation of tissues of the left side of the heart can be associated with a violation of the cell cycle of cardiomyocytes or some congenital malformations, which in any case is extremely dangerous.
There is physiological hypertrophy of the left ventricle. What it is? For example, such changes are often diagnosed in professional athletes, as their heart functions literally in a borderline rhythm.
Obesity is also dangerous. With a lot of excess weight, the heart has to work much harder, and hypertrophy is just an adaptation method.
What are the symptoms of hypertrophy?
Signs of the disease depend on the degree of change in the walls of the heart. With moderate hypertrophy, symptoms may be completely absent. But as the volume of the myocardium increases, the patient's well-being begins to deteriorate. Most patients complain of chest pain. Signs also include increased fatigue, drowsiness, and weakness. Dizziness and frequent fainting can also indicate the progression of hypertrophy.
It is worth noting that this condition is very dangerous. Often, against the background of hypertrophy, left atrial insufficiency develops, which is accompanied by severe shortness of breath, which not only appears during physical exertion, but is also present at rest.
How is hypertrophy treated?
Of course, at the slightest suspicion of such a disease, you should consult a doctor. Only a specialist knows why left ventricular hypertrophy occurred, what it is and how to properly diagnose the disease.
First of all, it is important to determine the cause of the development of the disease, as it is the key to solving the problem. If tissue overgrowth is associated with hypertension, then, of course, patients undergo therapy aimed at normalizing blood pressure. In cases where the cause is obesity, a special diet is made for patients, which allows you to gradually lose weight without harming the body.
In the initial stages, sometimes only a healthy lifestyle is enough. Proper diet, appropriate physical activity (for example, therapeutic exercises), quitting smoking and other bad habits, staying in the fresh air can stop the processes of hypertrophy.
In more severe cases, special drugs are used that block the proliferation of tissues at the molecular level. In any case, it is worthwhile to understand that even moderate left ventricular hypertrophy is an alarming bell that cannot be ignored.