What Is a Cardiomegaly?
6. Complications
Your risk of experiencing complications from an enlarged heart depends on the cause and severity of your condition. Common complications associated with cardiomegaly include blood clots, heart murmurs, heart failure and cardiac arrest.
Blood clots can be life-threatening because they may travel to your lungs and cause pulmonary embolisms. They may also block blood flow to your body’s vital organs. Heart murmurs are conditions that affect the mitral and tricuspid valves of people with enlarged hearts. Though they may not be harmful, heart murmurs should still be watched by your doctor. Heart failure occurs when the heart weakens and can no longer effectively pump blood through the body. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating properly and can result in sudden death.
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