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Hypertrophy is a medical term for enlargement or overgrowth of an organ or a body part due to an increase in the size of its cells. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), then, refers to such enlargement of the left pumping chamber of the heart. It results in thickening of the wall of that chamber. Continue reading →

(1999)

Marfan’s syndrome is a disorder of the connective tissue in the body. It involves tissue in areas such as the eye, skeletal system and blood vessels. As your question implies, it’s an inherited disorder. Marfan’s is the result of a defective gene that controls the formation of a protein in connective tissue. The pattern of inheritance is called autosomal dominant, meaning that it can occur in either sex, and can be Continue reading →

(1997)

The mitral valve separates the two chambers (atrium and ventricle) of the left side of the heart. It is made up of two fibrous leaflets that come together when the heart contracts so that blood doesn’t flow backward from the ventricle into the atrium. In prolapse of the valve, one or both leaflets bulge upward into the atrium and may result in leakage of the valve. Continue reading →

(1996)

Pulmonary hypertension refers to an increase in blood pressure in the arteries which serve the lungs. The term “primary” means that no underlying cause for the increased blood pressure, such as obstruction due to clots, congenital heart defects or chronic exposure to low oxygen, has been identified. Continue reading →

(1997)

A nuclear stress test involves taking images of the heart after injecting a small amount of a radioactive substance (radionuclide) such as thallium or sestamibi into a vein during monitored physical exercise. The images are made with a special camera that can detect the very low level of energy (radiation) given off by the material as it passes through the heart or localizes in the heart muscle. Such a test Continue reading →

(1997)

An internal pacemaker is one in which the electrodes into the heart, the electronic circuitry and power supply are all implanted within the body. There are different kinds of pacemakers, but fundamentally they’re all designed to treat a heart rate that’s too slow. Some function continuously and stimulate the heart either at a fixed rate or at an increased rate during exercise. The device can be programmed Continue reading →

(1997)

The heart is surrounded by a membranous sac called the pericardium (meaning “around the heart”).

As is true of most body cavities including our joints, the surfaces of the pericardium and heart are lubricated by a small amount of fluid. If excessive fluid accumulates, it’s called a pericardial effusion. There are many causes of excessive pericardial fluid, but it’s most commonly related to a viral infection. Less common causes include Continue reading →