Increase of left ventricle volume after weightlifting?

[Atreus]

Hello!
I got my mechanical valve, no aneurysm, in July 2023, so after a year, I started hitting the gym again. For six months, I did a bit of weightlifting 9 exercises, 3-4 series for an exercise, 10-12 reps, I did a full-body workout three days per week plus cardio. My heart rate was in range.
Before starting to go to the gym, I asked both my surgeon and my cardiologist if I was allowed. They both agreed as long as I didn't overdo it. Six months ago, my ventricle's volume was 160 ml, but it is now apparently 180 ml. How and why did it increase? Is weightlifting the cause?
May I do something so I can both go to the gym and stop the increase of the ventricle? Or did something different happen?

 

[Chuck C]

Hi Atreus.

Have you increased your cardiovascular exercise as well? LV volume can increase significantly from exercise, but usually from aerobic training and only a little from weight lifting.

Have they indicated that this is a problem. Did they give you a value expressed as ml/m2 and is yours above normal?

Keep in mind that measuring volume is particularly challenging with echos and is really just an estimation, not an exact measurement. Gaining 20ml in volume might seem like a lot, but that could be measurement variance.