Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is an Enlarged Heart?SymptomsCausesComplicationsTreatmentWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is an Enlarged Heart?
Symptoms
Causes
Complications
Treatment
When to See a Provider
The life expectancy for someone with an enlarged heart largely depends on the underlying cause of the condition, as well as risk factors for cardiovascular complications. An enlarged heart, also known ascardiomegaly, can lead to serious health problems such as heart failure, stroke, or even sudden death.
Your heart can become enlarged when it has to work harder as a result of stress, infection, or heart disease. The heart is usually the size of a fist, but it has the ability to grow in response to the demands that are placed on it, as is the case during pregnancy, strenuous exercise, and when you have a heart condition.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Cardiomegaly describes a heart that is a larger size than what is typical. It can happen to parts of the heart or the entire heart.
Your heart may become enlarged if you have a condition that puts it under a lot of stress. The condition can be temporary, such as in pregnancy, or permanent, which can happen with certain medical conditions. It is a manageable, but potentially serious health issue.
The life expectancy for someone with an enlarged heart varies according to what is causing the condition. For example, only around 34% of those withdilated cardiomyopathywill survive 15 years or more, while those withhypertrophic cardiomyopathytend to have a normal life expectancy.
That said, other factors may affect life expectancy, including age and your risk for other life-threatening complications.
Symptoms of an enlarged heart usually depend on the root cause. Symptoms vary widely because an enlarged heart may be the result of various causes.
Frequent Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of an enlarged heart include:
Rare Symptoms
Symptoms of an enlarged heart are not always noticeable or may be mistakenly attributed to other medical conditions. Some rare symptoms may be associated with an enlarged heart, especially if the condition worsens and heart failure ensues, including:
Any disease that makes the heart work harder can cause an enlarged heart. Diseases that are commonly associated with an enlarged heart include:
You can also develop an enlarged heart if you regularly consume large amounts of alcohol or if you smoke. A family history of enlarged heart and a sedentary lifestyle can also play a role.
A damaged heart muscle can lead to stagnated blood flow, arrhythmias, and even death.
Complications are most often due to dilated cardiomyopathy, a thinning of the ventricle walls that leads to an enlarged heart. The ventricles generate most of the pumping force of the heart. When these lower chambers lose their ability to contract, they are unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, which can result in the following:
If an enlarged heart is due to pregnancy or strenuous exercise, it may return to its normal size. But most underlying causes will require treatment.
Your healthcare provider will usually recommend lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, reducing your intake of alcohol, and eating foods low in sodium. You may also be prescribed certain medications, such as:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Whether you or a loved one has an enlarged heart, learning about what symptoms to look out for will not only help you to know what to expect, but it may also be lifesaving. In medicine, the saying “time is tissue” means the sooner you get the help you need, the more likely you are to avoid life-threatening complications.
Seek Emergency CareSeek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:Severe chest painShortness of breathDizzy spells or faintingRadiating pain or discomfort originating in the shoulder and going down the arms, back, neck, or stomachThe most devastating consequences of an enlarged heart are sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack.
Seek Emergency Care
Seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:Severe chest painShortness of breathDizzy spells or faintingRadiating pain or discomfort originating in the shoulder and going down the arms, back, neck, or stomachThe most devastating consequences of an enlarged heart are sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack.
Seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
The most devastating consequences of an enlarged heart are sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack.
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease, you may want to consider setting up routine appointments with a primary care physician and a cardiologist to monitor for any potential changes that may be taking place in your heart.
Summary
The life expectancy for someone with an enlarged heart largely depends on the underlying cause. If you have any health condition that causes your heart to work harder than it should, you are at risk of developing cardiomegaly.
Cardiomegaly may be a symptom of a potentially life-threatening disease, so it is important to contact a healthcare professional if you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, have a family history of heart disease, or have a history of heart or lung problems. Early diagnosis and management of the root causes of your enlarged heart can improve your prognosis.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Xu XR, Han MM, Yang YZ, et al.Fifteen-year mortality and prognostic factors in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: persistent standardized application of drug therapy and strengthened management may bring about encouraging change in an aging society.J Geriatr Cardiol. 2022;19(5):335-342. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2022.05.003Maron MS.Patient education: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (beyond the basics). In: McKenna WJ, Dardas TF, eds.UpToDate; 2023.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.American Heart Association.Heart failure signs and symptoms.Johns Hopkins.Dilated cardiomyopathy.Harvard Health Publishing.Fluid retention: What it can mean for your heart.American Heart Association.Types of heart medications.American Heart Association.Heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest symptoms.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Xu XR, Han MM, Yang YZ, et al.Fifteen-year mortality and prognostic factors in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: persistent standardized application of drug therapy and strengthened management may bring about encouraging change in an aging society.J Geriatr Cardiol. 2022;19(5):335-342. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2022.05.003Maron MS.Patient education: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (beyond the basics). In: McKenna WJ, Dardas TF, eds.UpToDate; 2023.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.American Heart Association.Heart failure signs and symptoms.Johns Hopkins.Dilated cardiomyopathy.Harvard Health Publishing.Fluid retention: What it can mean for your heart.American Heart Association.Types of heart medications.American Heart Association.Heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest symptoms.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Xu XR, Han MM, Yang YZ, et al.Fifteen-year mortality and prognostic factors in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: persistent standardized application of drug therapy and strengthened management may bring about encouraging change in an aging society.J Geriatr Cardiol. 2022;19(5):335-342. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2022.05.003Maron MS.Patient education: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (beyond the basics). In: McKenna WJ, Dardas TF, eds.UpToDate; 2023.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.American Heart Association.Heart failure signs and symptoms.Johns Hopkins.Dilated cardiomyopathy.Harvard Health Publishing.Fluid retention: What it can mean for your heart.American Heart Association.Types of heart medications.American Heart Association.Heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest symptoms.
Xu XR, Han MM, Yang YZ, et al.Fifteen-year mortality and prognostic factors in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: persistent standardized application of drug therapy and strengthened management may bring about encouraging change in an aging society.J Geriatr Cardiol. 2022;19(5):335-342. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2022.05.003
Maron MS.Patient education: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (beyond the basics). In: McKenna WJ, Dardas TF, eds.UpToDate; 2023.
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.
American Heart Association.Heart failure signs and symptoms.
Johns Hopkins.Dilated cardiomyopathy.
Harvard Health Publishing.Fluid retention: What it can mean for your heart.
American Heart Association.Types of heart medications.
American Heart Association.Heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest symptoms.
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