Accuracy of field EKG when patient has pnemonia

[zoe2576]

My son is 16 and participated in a free EKG testing on sight at his school.  The same day he had the test, 2 hours later, we took him to the Dr. and found out he had pneumonia.  I rec'd a call last night from the testing facility that they recommend he have a sonogram - hopefully it will turn up nothing, but the EKG showed he might have an enlarge ventrical.

My questions are:
1) As I wait for the hard copy results that I will forward to our peditrican to discuss the situation with him, could pnemonia cause an inconclusive result for the EKG?  I mentioned the pneumonia to the person that called last night, but she dismissed that.
2) If it is Hypertrophy, can it usually be treated with drugs, and would he still be able to run track and play football?  He's a sprinter for track, and wide receiver for Football - he has no fat on hit body.

Thanks

[kenkeith]

I wouldn't be quick to dismiss a respiratory disorder to not cause an enlarged LV.  The left ventricle will enlarge to increase the cardiac output into the system with oxygenated blood that may be at a deficit due to a respiratory inefficiency of the lungs due to pneumonia.  If one has a serious heart condition, pneumonia can be fatal, and I would say the LV will have enlarged as well in an attempt to compensate.

It is not unusual for a well-conditioned athlete to have an enlarged left ventricle.  This condition is not pathological, but helpful in that the heart pumps more efficiently and slower at rest.

The condition can be treated if it is abnormally enlarged.  The underlying cause usually requires the heart to work harder and this will increase LV size, and the cause can be higher resistance that the heart has to pump against (ie constricted vessels, etc.), valve stenosis (narrow opening), valve regurgitation (some backflow of blood), there can be a congenital defect, etc.