Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsHeart DisordersBlood DisordersPregnancyDrugs and AlcoholDiagnosisPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Heart Disorders
Blood Disorders
Pregnancy
Drugs and Alcohol
Diagnosis
Prevention
Mild cardiomegaly is when your heart is just a little bigger than it should be (slightly larger than your fist). You may not have symptoms of a slightly enlarged heart. Its size might only be noticed when you have an imaging test of your chest, like an X-ray.
While having mild cardiomegaly is less serious than more significant cases ofheart enlargement, it’s not something you should ignore. If the underlying condition causing it is not treated, mild cardiomegaly can get worse and increase your risk for heart disease or stroke.
This article discusses mild cardiomegaly. It explains the different causes of an enlarged heart, common treatments, how it’s diagnosed, and what you can do to prevent it.
Ariel Skelley / Verywell
What Are the Symptoms of Mild Cardiomegaly?
Many people with mild cardiomegaly never have symptoms. But in some people, cardiomegaly may cause:
Mild cardiomegaly is generally not considered a disease of the heart; instead, it’s a consequence of certain heart diseases. Identifying the cause of mild cardiomegaly will make management and treatment more effective.
Several heart disorders can lead to mild cardiomegaly:
How It’s Treated
If you have high blood pressure, medications are often used to keep your heart from working so hard. The medications try to keep your blood pressure within a safe range for your heart to work.
Treatments for heart valve disease include procedures to repair or replace the valves which can help control the size of the heart.
Certain blood disorders can cause mild cardiomegaly, including:
Treatments for blood disorders that affect the heart vary. For example, with anemia, you might be prescribed iron supplements to support your body’s production of red blood cells. With conditions like beta-thalassemia or sickle cell disease, you may need to have blood transfusions.
Pregnancy can change the size of the heart temporarily. In pregnancy, your heart is responsible for pumping not just your blood but the blood to the fetus as well. The extra demand makes the heart work harder and get bigger.
Usually, cardiomegaly in pregnancy is reversible; the heart goes back to a normal size a few months after a woman gives birth.
Using cocaine, methamphetamine, or large amounts of alcohol is known to cause a heart disease called cardiomyopathy.Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine put the heart under a lot of stress. Over time, the stress causes the heart to get bigger. Alcohol can also create toxins in the body that damage the heart.
Ultimately, these substances can cause the heart to enlarge as it tries to work harder. In many cases, the heart will return to normal if the use of these substances is limited or stopped.
How is Mild Cardiomegaly Diagnosed?
After performing a physical exam and possibly an X-ray, your healthcare provider may order one or more of the following tests:
Who Is Most Likely to Get Cardiomegaly?Your risk of developing cardiomegaly may be higher if you have a family history of cardiomegaly, a heart defect, past or present heart disease, or hypertension (high blood pressure).
Who Is Most Likely to Get Cardiomegaly?
Your risk of developing cardiomegaly may be higher if you have a family history of cardiomegaly, a heart defect, past or present heart disease, or hypertension (high blood pressure).
How is Mild Cardiomegaly Prevented?
You can’t always prevent cardiomegaly. For example, if you are more likely to develop the condition because of your genes, that’s not a risk factor you can change. Some people are also born with an enlarged heart (congenital).
However, there are some other risk factors that you do have some control over. Many of the steps that you can take to support your heart health overall may also help prevent cardiomegaly, or prevent complications if you already have an enlarged heart.
What you eat and how much you move are two key aspects of your lifestyle that affect your heart health positively or negatively. If you’re at risk for an enlarged heart or have one and you are trying to keep it from getting worse, making some changes to your diet and exercise routine can be helpful.
Other ways you can lower your risk for cardiomegaly and possibly keep it from getting worse include:
Summary
It’s important to find out what is causing your heart to be larger than normal to ensure you get the right treatment. While you can’t always prevent an enlarged heart, living a heart-healthy lifestyle can help lower your risk and avoid complications.
Frequently Asked QuestionsMild cardiomegaly means the heart is a little bigger than normal. Having mild cardiomegaly can be one of the first signs of a heart disorder. If you have cardiomegaly, you should talk to your provider so they can check you for the possible causes of an enlarged heart.Many conditions that cause mild cardiomegaly have treatments that can help reduce the heart’s size and keep it from getting bigger. Depending on the cause of the cardiomegaly, there can be ways to reverse the condition.People can live for many years, often decades, with cardiomegaly. Certain treatments, such as medications or interventions, can help prevent further enlargement of the heart. Many people live with mild cardiomegaly and do not develop symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mild cardiomegaly means the heart is a little bigger than normal. Having mild cardiomegaly can be one of the first signs of a heart disorder. If you have cardiomegaly, you should talk to your provider so they can check you for the possible causes of an enlarged heart.
Many conditions that cause mild cardiomegaly have treatments that can help reduce the heart’s size and keep it from getting bigger. Depending on the cause of the cardiomegaly, there can be ways to reverse the condition.
People can live for many years, often decades, with cardiomegaly. Certain treatments, such as medications or interventions, can help prevent further enlargement of the heart. Many people live with mild cardiomegaly and do not develop symptoms.
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.American Heart Association.What is cardiomyopathy in adults?.Bumrungrad International Hospital.Cardiomegaly.MedPark Hospital.What is cardiomegaly?.American Heart Association.Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).Mercy.Cardiomegaly.St. Clair Health.Enlarged heart.Keck Medicine of USC.What causes an enlarged heart?.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.
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.American Heart Association.What is cardiomyopathy in adults?.Bumrungrad International Hospital.Cardiomegaly.MedPark Hospital.What is cardiomegaly?.American Heart Association.Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).Mercy.Cardiomegaly.St. Clair Health.Enlarged heart.Keck Medicine of USC.What causes an enlarged heart?.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.
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.
American Heart Association.What is cardiomyopathy in adults?.Bumrungrad International Hospital.Cardiomegaly.MedPark Hospital.What is cardiomegaly?.American Heart Association.Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).Mercy.Cardiomegaly.St. Clair Health.Enlarged heart.Keck Medicine of USC.What causes an enlarged heart?.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.
American Heart Association.What is cardiomyopathy in adults?.
Bumrungrad International Hospital.Cardiomegaly.
MedPark Hospital.What is cardiomegaly?.
American Heart Association.Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
Mercy.Cardiomegaly.
St. Clair Health.Enlarged heart.
Keck Medicine of USC.What causes an enlarged heart?.
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Enlarged heart.
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