Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an enlargement of the muscle that surrounds the wall of the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the main chamber that pumps blood out into your entire body, making this chamber work harder to begin with.
Causes:
Left ventricular hypertrophy is caused when the heart is running in overload all the time. This is mostly caused by hypertension, which is high blood pressure. This puts a lot of strain on your heart making it work harder than it needs to.
Symptoms:
Some people do not have symptoms during the beginning stages of LVH. As it progresses you may experience some of the following symptoms:
– Fainting
– Shortness of breath
– Chest pain
– Dizziness
– Rapid heart beats (also known as palpitations)
– Accelerated exhaustion when engaging in physical activity
Diagnostics:
The most common way to determine if someone has LVH is to complete an electrocardiography (ECG). Some refer to this test as an EKG. Even though it is the most common way, sometimes it can determine the wrong results. Some patients that have significant LVH are known to have a rather normal ECG.
Treatment: Ways to treat LVH would be to either take blood pressure medicine to lower your blood pressure or if necessary surgery.
Sources:
http://www.ccjm.org/content/77/6/381.full
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/left-ventricular-hypertrophy/DS00680/DSECTION=symptoms
http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ecg-library/basics/left-ventricular-hypertrophy/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/left-ventricular-hypertrophy/DS00680
