Heart Cath Report

[MarkG]

I had a cath on Monday. Everything looked OK, my heart vessels are clear and my AVS is at a moderate level. So I don?t need any immediate attention. However, one thing the cardiologist that performed the cath said is still sticking with me. He said they can?t explain why my heart enlarges when I exercise. I know my blood pressure drops like a stone when I exercise, but enlarges, this is news to me. I started to ask him about this, but he said my non-invasive cardiologist will call me and go over the next steps. However I have to wait until Friday the 13th for that answer. So my question to you folks, have you ever been told this?

 

[Mary]

Nope, I haven't, and I don't recall anyone else mentioning it, but maybe others will chime in with an answer.

 

[Joe Cool]

Hi Mark,

I know in my case my cardiologist was looking for enlargement of the heart during exercise as the signal that it was time for surgery. Everything that I read said the same thing. So I was expecting it. My cardiologist is cool and set me down each time that I had an echo and showed me the results. So, when the change happened it was apparent to me also. It was explained to me that with the aortic valve leaking the heart tries to compensate for the insuficiency by trying to take bigger "gulps" and over time it will enlarge itself beyond the point of recovery. That is why they look for it when the heart is exercised. It gives you about a year before it is too late according to what I've read and been told. I don't know if this is exactly your situation, but it was mine. I hope this was helpful. Good luck with your visit to the doc.

 

[geebee]

I could be off base here but doesn't blood back up cause heart enlargement? If my memory serves me correctly (and it fails now and then) , if your valve is failing and causing blood back up, then your heart can enlarge for the time the backup is happening. The more your heart works (exercise), the more blood backup, the more the heart enlarges.

The longer you have this problem without correction, the more chance the enlargement is permanent. That is why some of us on here try to promote checking into surgery sooner rather than later - to prevent permanent damage.

Sorry if I have this wrong but that is my take on it.