Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH): Causes, Diagnosis & Treatments
Maybe your like
- MedStar Health >
- Healthcare Services >
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy >
Browse this page
Thickening of the muscle of your left ventricle
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) develops in response to certain medical conditions that can cause the left ventricle (the lower left chamber of the heart responsible for pumping blood to the body) to work harder than normal. Just like other muscles in your body, when the heart muscle works harder, it gets bigger.
An enlarged heart muscle can become stiffer, making it difficult to pump with as much force as necessary. This can put you at a higher risk for heart attack or stroke.
What causes left ventricular hypertrophy?
Some conditions that can cause LVH include:
-
High blood pressure, the most common cause
-
Aortic valve stenosis
-
Congenital heart disease
-
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
What are the symptoms of LVH?
As the condition progresses and the heart muscle becomes stiffer, you may experience:
-
Atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat
-
Chest pain
-
Dizziness or fainting
-
Heart failure
-
Heart palpitations, the sensation that the heart rate is skipping, slowing down or racing
- Shortness of breath
Tests
Diagnosing left ventricular hypertrophy is the first step to developing a treatment plan. Your doctor may recommend one or more diagnostic and imaging procedures.
Cardiac catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat a variety of heart and vascular conditions by guiding thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to problem areas.Computerized tomography (CT) scan
The cardiac computed tomography scan, or cardiac CT, uses X-rays to create three-dimensional images of your heart and blood vessels.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, measures the heart’s electrical activity.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Magnetic resonance imaging, better known as cardiac MRI, is a combination of radio waves, magnets, and computer technology to create images of your heart and blood vessels.
Stress tests
Stress tests are used to assess how your heart works during physical activity. There are several types of stress tests, including treadmill or bike stress tests, nuclear stress tests, stress echocardiograms, and chemically induced stress tests.
Treatments
Our heart and vascular teams work together and with other specialties to develop and implement individualized plans to treat LVH and any underlying conditions that are causing your heart to be overworked. Your treatment plan could include lifestyle modifications, medication, or more advanced treatments.
Heart surgery
Heart surgery is an option to treat many heart conditions. You may need heart surgery either as a lifesaving procedure or when other treatments haven’t worked.
Our providers
Location: Change location Enter your location
-
Firehiwot Abebe Achamyeleh, MD
Cardiology
Request an Appointment -
Cynthia J. Bither, MSN NP
Advanced Heart Failure And Transplant Cardiology & Cardiology
-
Jeffrey Jay Brown, MD
Cardiology
Request an Appointment -
Rebecca Michelle Burton, MHS PA
Cardiac Surgery & Cardiovascular Disease
-
Aubrey Jonathan Grant, MD
Cardiology
Request an Appointment -
Suzanne Malouf, FNPBC MSN
Interventional Cardiology & Cardiology
-
Ngozi Ezinne Nwakama, PA
Cardiology & Hospital Medicine
-
Jaclyn Sesso, DNP NP
Cardiology
-
Christine Smith, CRNP
Cardiology
-
Jennifer K. Syracuse, FNP MSN
Cardiology
-
Carolina Isabel Valdiviezo Schlomp, MD
Cardiology
Request an Appointment -
Deidra L. Varner, MD
Cardiology
Request an Appointment -
Ramarao Vunnam, MBBS MD
Cardiology
-
David R Yu, MD
Cardiology
-
Newton Edison Andrews, MD
Cardiology
-
Joseph Adolph Quash, MD
Cardiovascular Disease & Interventional Cardiology
Related services
Cardiac Rehabilitation Emergency Medicine Heart and Vascular Pharmacy Primary CareInsurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
Tag » How Serious Is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH): Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy - Symptoms And Causes - Mayo Clinic
-
What Is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH)?
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
-
Learning About Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) - My Health Alberta
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy - Sparrow Health System
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) - Symptoms, Causes And ...
-
Mild Left Ventricular Hypertrophy In Essential Hypertension: Is It Really ...
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy | Cardiology - JAMA Network
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy - Middlesex Health
-
Magnitude Of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy And Risk Of Sudden ...
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy | Circulation - AHA Journals
-
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy - Wikipedia