What are the causes of cardiomegaly?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 26-year-old female. I recently discovered through online test results that I have an enlarged heart, but no explanation was provided for why it is enlarged or how enlarged it is. The impression is cardiomegaly with no evidence of focal infiltration. I am currently obese but otherwise in good health, aside from the enlarged heart and insulin resistance (I am not diabetic or insulin-dependent). Is it too late to reverse the enlargement of my heart through diet, weight loss, and lifestyle changes? I am currently taking Metformin, Xanax, and Provera.

Please advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

An enlarged heart seen only on a chest X-ray is not reliable. An X-ray is similar to a shadow— the farther you stand from a wall, the larger your shadow becomes. Similarly, if you stand a few centimeters away from the X-ray film, it can create an enlarged shadow of the heart on the image. The best way to assess the size of the heart is through echocardiography. Echocardiography is recommended if you have symptoms of shortness of breath that cannot be explained by other causes. If you have such symptoms, consider having an echocardiogram and ECG done. I hope these tests come back to normal.

Thank you.