A disease called " left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart" can very often develop over the years. At first, pathology does not manifest itself. However, over time, the walls of the left ventricle begin to thicken. This leads to a loss of their elasticity. Very often, against the background of these pathological changes, a deformation of the septum located between the ventricles occurs.
There are many factors that lead to left ventricular hypertrophy. Speaking about them, it is also worth considering heredity, hypertension, the possibility of the presence of diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, excessive loads and other possible causes. Bad habits, which affect a larger number of the population, also have a negative effect on the human body.
Features of the disease
This pathology is most often found in hypertensive patients, as well as in people who are actively involved in sports or, conversely, in those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Problems can also be observed among drinkers and smokers. Hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart can also develop against the background of pathological hereditary malaise. This disease is attributed to other similar diseases of the circulatory system. In order not to provoke complications, it is necessary to timely treat the pathology in the first stages of its detection.
Reasons for the appearance
There are a huge number of factors affecting the development of this disease. In addition to the reasons already described above, it is also worth highlighting obesity. As a rule, overweight is most dangerous when it comes to young children.
Also, pathology can develop against the background of coronary heart disease. Lung diseases can also lead to it. When a person suffers from psychological diseases or is constantly experiencing stress, this is also a favorable circumstance for enlarging the left ventricle of the heart.
If we are talking about children, then situations are not uncommon when in the process of development of a young organism there is a violation of the processes of myocardial repolarization. This leads to an increase in the walls of the ventricle. Such patients must be observed by a specialist in stationary conditions throughout the entire period of growing up.
If a person is constantly involved in sports, then the expansion of the heart occurs for natural reasons. However, in situations of heavy weight lifting (during strength training) the problem can be more serious. In this case, there is a risk of systolic overload. Therefore, it is very important to correctly distribute the load and draw up a training plan.
Among the indirect causes of the development of left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart, sleep problems can be distinguished. Also, while resting, some people stop breathing for a few seconds. This leads to unpleasant symptoms. In addition, pathology develops in some women during menopause. In this case, the diameter of the vessels of the heart expands. Also, in women in old age, there is an additional observed increased blood pressure and the manifestation of arrhythmia.
Signs of pathology
If we talk about the main symptoms of left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart, then most often the disease develops without visible manifestations (especially if it is an early stage). This is due to the fact that the walls of the organ have not yet compacted enough to disturb blood circulation. That is why pathology for several years does not show serious signs.
As a rule, left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart is determined during a routine medical examination or during an ECG. In rare situations, the deterioration occurs at the very beginning of the development of pathology.
The most characteristic sign is the appearance of angina pectoris. It is characterized by pain in the chest, severe dizziness, fainting with instant heartbeat, heart rhythm disturbance, atrial fibrillation, fatigue, weakness, pressure spikes and sleep problems. Also, people experience severe shortness of breath even with minimal physical exertion.
If any of these symptoms occur, you should immediately contact a specialist. In this situation, you need to visit a cardiologist. If timely treatment of hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart is not carried out, then this can even lead to death.
Complications
Since the left ventricle of the heart is one of the main links in a large circle of blood circulation, with its increase, very serious consequences can be observed. For example, a patient may develop:
- Heart failure. This means that the main organ of a person will not be able to independently pump the necessary amount of blood. Accordingly, the normal functioning of the whole organism will be disrupted.
- Cardiac arrhythmia. In this case, the heart will beat at an abnormal rate.
- Heart attack and coronary heart disease. In this case, the tissues of the human body will receive an insufficient amount of oxygen.
Speaking about left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart, what does it mean and how to treat this ailment, which can even lead to sudden cardiac arrest, it is very important to find out. Therefore, it is necessary to identify abnormalities in a timely manner and begin therapy.
It is also worth considering the individual characteristics of the body of each person. In addition, among the complications, ventricular dilatation can be detected. In this case, its volume increases very much. The walls begin to grow, and they stretch. Because of this, the ventricle cannot fully contract. As a result, the blood stagnates in a large circle, which leads to an increase in the liver, spleen and other organs. In addition, if we consider the danger of hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart, it is worth considering that with this pathological condition, the risk of developing a stroke increases 10 times.
Diagnostics
The faster it is possible to detect the presence of pathology in a person, the more quickly it will be possible to start drug therapy or perform an operation. In order to carry out diagnostics, several types of studies are performed.
The easiest way to determine the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart on an ECG. It is also recommended to undergo an ultrasound scan. In this case, it is much easier to establish the presence of a pathology, and also to clarify how much it affected the systemic circulation.
In addition, the specialist checks how the boundaries of the heart have increased and whether there are noises during its reduction. Mandatory listening to the patient's lungs. If wheezing is observed in them, then this is the main sign that the liquid in the small circle stagnates. If the patient suffers from a hereditary pathology, in this case a biopsy is recommended. Only on the basis of complete diagnostic studies can the presence and degree of pathology be established. This will help to start effective treatment faster.
Therapy
Immediately it is worth saying that the treatment of hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle does not give a one hundred percent result. This means that this pathology belongs to the category of incurable diseases. However, with the help of modern therapeutic measures, you can significantly slow down the development of the disease, as well as reduce unpleasant symptoms.
If we talk about therapeutic therapeutic agents, then in this case, those drugs that are able to reduce symptoms are most often used. The doctor prescribes beta blockers, metabolic drugs, and many others. A diuretic is also prescribed. This helps to temporarily stabilize the patient's condition.
Speaking about how to treat left ventricular hypertrophy of the heart, you need to understand that these drugs are effective only in the first stages of the development of the disease. If the patient has a pronounced pathology, then the treatment may include only surgical intervention.
Operation
If we talk about surgical intervention, then most often a valve prosthesis is performed to solve this problem. The surgeon can also remove part of the heart muscle that prevents blood from entering the aorta. In more complex situations, a heart transplant is required.
Supporting measures
In order for the therapy to give a positive result, the patient needs to make a lot of effort. The patient should completely abandon alcohol, tobacco and a harmful lifestyle. Any procedures that reduce the flow of oxygen into the body will only exacerbate the situation. It is for the same reason that it is recommended to reduce physical activity and give preference to hiking, swimming, light aerobics and walking.
When considering how to treat left ventricular hypertrophy of a heart, it is worth considering that an important aspect is dieting. This means that from your diet you need to exclude (or at least reduce the amount) salt, fried and fatty foods, smoked meats, flour products and sweets. Instead, it is worth consuming more dairy products, natural fruits and vegetables. Seafood will also be beneficial. Food should be carried out 5-6 times a day (in small portions).
Treatment with folk remedies
In this case, we can only talk about auxiliary therapy. Before you start using traditional medicine recipes, you must always consult a doctor and clarify whether the patient has intolerance to certain components.
Blueberries and cranberries
With this disease, it is necessary to normalize the work of the heart. Most often, blueberry shoots are used for this. From them you can prepare a decoction. To do this, mix a tablespoon of the plant with a glass of water and cook the resulting mass in a water bath for about 10 minutes. After this, the liquid must be filtered and taken 1 spoon 3 times a day.
Cranberries also have beneficial properties. It is enough to grind with sugar and eat a spoon 3 times a day.
Decoctions and infusions
Speaking about how it is possible to treat hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart, it is worth clarifying that blood purification has favorable properties in this situation. To do this, and to reduce the intensity of headaches, you need to take 1 tablespoon of dried flowers of cornflowers and pour them with a glass of boiling water. After that, the mixture is boiled in a water bath for about 15 minutes over low heat. At the next stage, you need to remove the decoction from the stove and wait until it cools. Then the liquid is passed through cheesecloth and consumed 100 ml three times a day. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.
If a person suffers from shortness of breath, then in this case it is worth using fresh nettle. To do this, grind 5 tablespoons of the young stems of the plant and pour them with 5 tablespoons of honey. After this, the infusion must be placed in a dark place and shake it daily for 2 weeks. After 14 days, the finished medicine is heated in a water bath, filtered and cleaned in the refrigerator. Take a medicine every day before meals, 1 spoon.
There are also other folk methods for treating pathology. For example, garlic also has beneficial properties.
However, starting independent therapy, one must take into account the danger of hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart. Symptoms of this pathology should not be ignored. It is better to consult a specialist.