In cardiomegaly (synonyms: Acute cardiac dilatation; Atriomegaly; Biventricular cardiac hypertrophy; Biventricular hypertrophied heart; Chronic cardiac dilatation; Chronic cardiac hypertrophy; Cor bovinum; Dilatio cordis; Dilated heart disease; Cardiac hypertrophy; Cardiac ventricular hypertrophy; Cardiac enlargement; Atrial dilatation; Idiopathic cardiomegaly; Cardiac dilatation; Cardiac hypertrophy; Cardiomegaly; Concentric left ventricular hypertrophy; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Left ventricular enlargement; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Myocardial hypertrophy; Right ventricular dilatation; Right ventricular hypertrophy; Athlete’s heart; Ventricular dilatation; Ventricular enlargement; ICD-10-GM I51. 7: Cardiomegaly) is the enlargement of the heart beyond normal.
According to ICD-10-GM, the following forms can be distinguished:
- Dilatation – expansion of the internal spaces of the heart.
- Hypertrophy – increase in cardiac muscle mass due to enlargement of cardiac muscle cells.
Furthermore, cardiomegaly can be distinguished into:
- Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) – see hypertension (arterial hypertension) for details.
- Right ventricular hypertrophy (right ventricular hypertrophy, RVH) – see for this under cor pulmonale (pulmonary hypertension).
- Global cardiac hypertrophy – secondary organ change attributable to other underlying diseases.
Cardiomegaly can be a symptom of many diseases (see under “Differential diagnoses”).
Course and prognosis: As long as a critical size is not exceeded, cardiomegaly is asymptomatic. In advanced stages, cardiac arrhythmias (cardiac dysrhythmias) and heart failure (cardiac insufficiency) occur.