What is left ventricular hypertrophy

The major pumping chamber of the heart is the left ventricle. This heart chamber pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta , the large blood vessel that delivers blood to the body's tissues. If the left ventricle has to work too hard, its muscle hypertrophies enlarges and becomes thick.

This is called left ventricular hypertrophy LVH. Because of the increased thickness, blood supply to the muscle itself may become inadequate. This can lead to cardiac ischemia not enough blood and oxygen at the tissue level , myocardial infarction heart attack , or heart failure. The November 17, , issue of JAMA includes several articles about reducing the risks of heart failure and death from LVH by treating high blood pressure. Hypertension high blood pressure.

Aortic valve stenosis narrowing of the valve from the heart to the aorta. Obstructive cardiomyopathy an inherited type of LVH that slows blood flow to the aorta because of overgrown heart muscle.

Because these signs and symptoms can indicate several different kinds of heart trouble or other illnesses, it is important to see your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Sometimes individuals develop LVH without symptoms, so checking blood pressure is important.

Electrocardiogram —a display of the electrical activity pattern from the heart. Electrical conduction in the heart changes when the heart muscle becomes too thick. Echocardiogram —use of ultrasound sound wave technology to show a picture of the heart muscle indicating whether the cardiac muscle tissue has overgrown and if blood flow through the heart has been disrupted.

Treatment of high blood pressure, usually including blood pressure medication and a healthful lifestyle regular exercise, healthful diet to maintain normal weight, no tobacco use , can help prevent LVH from developing in the first place. If LVH is already present, treating hypertension can stop progression of LVH and may also prevent heart failure resulting from it.

The other causes of LVH require specialized evaluation and treatment. The most common cause is high blood pressure. Left ventricular hypertrophy is enlargement and thickening hypertrophy of the walls of your heart's main pumping chamber left ventricle. The thickened heart wall loses elasticity, leading to increased pressure to allow the heart to fill its pumping chamber to send blood to the rest of the body.

Eventually, the heart may fail to pump with as much force as needed. Left ventricular hypertrophy is more common in people who have uncontrolled high blood pressure. But no matter what your blood pressure is, developing left ventricular hypertrophy puts you at higher risk of congestive heart failure and irregular heart rhythms.

If left ventricular hypertrophy is caused by high blood pressure, treating high blood pressure can help ease your symptoms and may reverse left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy usually develops gradually. You may experience no signs or symptoms, especially during the early stages of the condition. If you experience mild shortness of breath or other symptoms, such as palpitations, see your doctor. If you have high blood pressure or another condition that increases your risk of left ventricular hypertrophy, your doctor is likely to recommend regular appointments to monitor your heart.

Left ventricular hypertrophy has several causes — one is an increase in the size of heart muscle cells and the other is abnormal tissue around the heart muscle cells. Your heart muscle cells may get larger in response to some factor that causes the left ventricle to work harder, such as high blood pressure or a heart condition. As the left ventricle's workload increases, the muscle tissue in the chamber wall thickens. Sometimes, the size of the chamber itself also increases. Left ventricular hypertrophy may also develop due to problems in the structure of the heart muscle cell.

These changes can be related to a genetic defect. Abnormal tissue around the heart muscle cells is a result of several rare conditions.

Abnormalities in heart muscle cell structure that result in increased heart wall thickness include:. In addition to hypertension and aortic valve stenosis, factors that increase your risk of left ventricular hypertrophy include:.

Left ventricular hypertrophy changes the structure and working of the heart. The enlarged left ventricle can:. The best way to prevent left ventricular hypertrophy caused by high blood pressure is to maintain healthy blood pressure. To better manage your blood pressure:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Recovery and Healthy Living Goals. Personal Stories. Heart Valve Disease Resources.

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day. What are the symptoms of LVH? As the condition worsens, symptoms may develop , such as: Shortness of breath Fatigue Chest pain especially with exercise Heart palpitations Dizziness or fainting If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your health care provider right away so that the problem can be identified and treated.

How's Left Ventricular Hypertrophy related to other heart problems? LVH usually happens as a result of other heart problems such as: High blood pressure Diabetes Heart valve problems like stenosis or regurgitation Arrhythmias Enlargement of the aorta It's important to treat the causes of LVH early because it can lead to severe problems such as heart failure , sudden cardiac arrest and ischemic stroke.

How's LVH diagnosed? What are the treatment options for LVH? Can LVH be reversed?