Echocardigram Results

[Tatyahna]

Does an echocardiagram which indicates the following equate to anything that should be considered significantly abnormal or indicate something I should be concerned about?  A septal wall thickness of 1.4;  a posterior wall thickness of 1.1; and an LV end diastolic dimension of 4.8. And an overall conclusion of: Preserved left ventricular systolic function with mild left ventricular hypertrophy.  

[grendslori]

The word cardiomyopathy literally means: muscle disease of the heart. Cardio meaning heart, myo refers to muscle and opathy means a disease state. I do not know the number of people who die of a sudden death each year. In children it's about 2%. The amount of muscle damage is not an indication of a sudden death probabilty. A person can have a very severe form of the disease and live a very long time and the opposite also holds true. The determening factor has much more to due with whether or not the person has electrical tracts that can cause certain types of sustained arrhythmias; those arrhythmias tend to be the ones that cause the sudden death events. Sudden death is certainly not a common occurance in this disease, so please don't worry yourself to death on that one, okay?  A lot of doctors don't know too much about HCM because it is pretty rare, some doctors have never seen a patient with the disease. Take care.  

[Bob_D]

I think there are about 300,000 sudden cardiac arrests each year in the US with half of those having no prior symptoms of heart disease. Fun, huh?

I have mild LVH and don't worry about it - my cardiologist doesn't even bring it up.

[Tatyahna]

I did not know this was a form of cardiomyopathy.  It seems that most doctors and medical professionals I have seen do not know this, or at least have not indicated this to me.  I do suffer from shortness of breath, and have a history of cardiac arrhythmia.  I am just wondering how rare heart-related Sudden Death is, and why my doctor seems to think I am fine.  The  doctor informed me that his specialty is Asthma and Asthma Related conditions. I am now beginning to realize that a doctor whose specialty is Asthma and Asthma Related conditions is really not qualified to handle my condition.  Thank You

[Tatyahna]

You have an in-depth knowledge on this subject.  If you do not mind me asking, how long have you worked in the medical field (EKG supervisor, nurse's aid and operating room secretary)?   Perhaps you can help me to understand why is it that some do not see this as a serious form of heart disease?  Is it because it is extremely rare in children, and therefore most believe it is also rare in adults, or it is just rare in general (in both children and adults)? How rare would you say it is?  There is some family history of heart problems, so perhaps this is genetic because my maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather both  had heart problems (grandmother coronary thrombosis died at age 36 and grandfather had unexpected bypass surgery and died shortly after at age 67).  I do not recall any family member being specifically diagnosed as having mild left ventricular hypertrophy.  Sudden Death is horribly devastating, especially if one is being routinely treated by doctors that feel mild hypertrophy is not serious, and then all of a sudden something terrible like Sudden Death occurs.  Thank you for your expertise it can help save a life, and I believe that is what being in the medical field is all about.  

[Bob_D]

LVH is a form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy about which the Mayo Clinic web site has this to say:

"In most people, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy doesn't cause severe problems and they're able to live a normal life. In a small number of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the thickened heart muscle can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, problems in the heart's electrical system resulting in life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common cause of heart-related sudden death in people under 30. Fortunately, death and severe complications are relatively rare and researchers are exploring new treatment and prevention options."

[grendslori]

Hi Taya,
  This is a serious form of heart disease. There is always levels of that seriousness: mild, moderate, severe. Hypertrophy stands for a thickning of the heart walls. This can be a genetic problem or sporatic problem. When the walls of the heart continue to grow in thickness, the walls become stiff which makes the pumping action of the heart less effective. Also as the walls grow thicker, the blood suppy to the heart walls is lost and the person can end up with angina, even at rest. Patients usually end up needing a transplant. When does that point happen? No one can tell you that. If a child is diagnosed with this disease, his prognosis is much worse because he still has to get through the puberty stage of life. About 2% of children die from sudden death and that may be the first time parents find out that their child even had heart disease. The disease is extremely rare in children! If an adult is first diagnosed, than it can be at any time; some people are fine and aren't diagnosed until in their 60s. It can be so variable. You need to be monitored for any electrical problems of the heart as those are the problems that can cause a sudden death event. Have a Holter, EP Study done in the cath lab by a doctor who specializes in electrical studies (an EP Doctor) or event monitor put on. Overall this is a chronic problem meaning it can go one for many years.

[Tatyahna]

Thank you so much for your feedback.  I was wondering if the mild left ventricle hypertrophy was an abnormality, and if so how much of an abnormality. The word mild tends to make one think there is nothing seriously wrong, but to me if it is the heart it is something that needs attention.  Thanks Again.

[Bob_D]

I don't know about the measurement data, but the mild left ventricular hypertrophy is an indication of abnormality. (I have the same condition). Hypertrophy of the ventricles, if severe, can affect your heart's ability to pump. LVH can be caused by a number of conditions, primarily hypertension. It also has the potential to regress (get better) if hypertension is controlled.