Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

[Mowgli44]

I have LVH and recently had a blood test for my heart which GP says these are raised and wants me to have an up to date echocardiogram . Has this been caused by my AF and being overweight? Are there any specific medicines for this? Any help would be appreciated.

[Paulbounce]

Hi Mowgli.

I asked Mr Chatty (ChatGPT) about your question. Here is a copy and paste of his answer***

Paul

LVH and AF:

LVH is a condition where the heart's left ventricle thickens. It can be caused by various factors, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and atrial fibrillation.  

AF is a heart rhythm disorder where the heart's upper chambers beat irregularly. It can increase the risk of stroke and other heart problems.  

Possible Causes of Your LVH:

AF: Atrial fibrillation can lead to LVH over time.  

Being overweight: Excess weight can put strain on your heart.

Other factors: High blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or other underlying health conditions could also contribute.  

Echocardiogram:

An echocardiogram is a non-invasive test that uses sound waves to create images of your heart. It will help your doctor assess the extent of your LVH and identify any other potential heart issues.  

Medication:

Your doctor may prescribe medications to manage your LVH and AF. These may include:

Blood thinners: To reduce the risk of stroke.  

Antiarrhythmic drugs: To help regulate your heart rhythm.  

Beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers: To lower blood pressure and reduce the workload on your heart.  

Lifestyle Changes:

In addition to medication, lifestyle changes can also help manage LVH and AF. These may include:  

Weight loss: Losing weight can reduce strain on your heart.  

Healthy diet: Eating a balanced diet can improve overall health.  

Regular exercise: Moderate exercise can help strengthen your heart.  

Stress management: Techniques like meditation or yoga can help reduce stress.

***Please note—Mr Chatty is not a doctor, although he likes to think he is! The information above should be discussed with your GP.

[Mowgli44 in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you !

[Porageface]

My understanding is that doctors often order the BNP (see below ) blood test when they suspect amongst other things heart failure.

High levels are seen in significant heart failure. Moderately raised levels are see in some cases of uncomplicated atrial fibrillation.

Perhaps this is one of the tests you had.

Usual advisory, I am not a doctor.

[Btype-Natriuretic-Peptide (BNP)]

[Mowgli44 in reply to Porageface]

Yes that was the test. The levels are very high. Waiting now to hear when I can have an echo.

[Ppiman]

Only going from what I have read, being overweight increases the size of the heart and has been said to be associated with LVH. I gather also that when weight is reduced, the size of the heart shrinks back, too, since it has a fixed number of irreplaceable cells and these stretch and expand as the body weight increases. An enlarged heart is said to be much more prone to arrhythmias and other issues. I would think if you were to be able to get your weight down, this would be very helpful to your overall health.

I am only a little overweight and have been following a "slow but sure" diet of eating my usual meals but a little less in quantity and with no weight-increasing snacking in between. Over the months, it is working. It was my wife's late aunt's idea and she ran a highly popular local weight-loss club in her day. She used to say that fat always creeps on so is best when caused to creep back off, and that all fad diets were bound to fail.

Steve

[Mowgli44 in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks Steve that is very helpful and I am working on it! Had the echo today and the LVH doesn’t seem to be any worse. I expect the GP might look at other tests to see why my BNP is so high. I’ve been googling and wonder if it might be pulmonary hypertension?

[Ppiman in reply to Mowgli44]

I would avoid Googling. I gather PH is very hard to diagnose but would he most unlikely. I strongly suspect it’ll turn out to be “one if those things” that come along mysteriously with getting older!

Steve