Aa
Unanswered questions
I am writing to find out more about an enlarged heart.My fiance passed away this valentines day in my arms,he was 32 years old.He was just at his doctors three weeks before this and I do not understand how his death can be ruled as n enlarged heart due to high blood pressure and stress.There were no warning signs at all,he went to bed around midnite and around five in the morning I awoke to him making this deathly sound.when I turned on the lights his lips were turning blue.Three people did CPR on him while we waited for paramedics but when they arrived he still did not have a heart beat,They shocked him all the way to the hospital with no results.Please,please explain this to me so I can understand how a seemingly healthy young man can suddeny die without warning,he did not smoke and rarely drank alcohol.He was active and had a healthy build.The only thing he ever complained about was migraines,which we thought nothing of because I have them and take medication for.I just really need this explained to me so that I know why I lost the one man that everyone dreams about,but rarely exists.
"...Please,please explain this to me so I can understand how a seemingly healthy young man can suddeny die without warning,he did not smoke and rarely drank alcohol.He was active and had a healthy build"...
______________________________________________________
You have had a very unfortunate experience. Sorry about that!
For a perspective, the etiology of an enlarged heart can be primary due to viral, familial, ideopathic (cause unknown), medication, alcohol, drugs, etc. In some cases the heart muscle is replaced by fibrotic tissue and fatty tissue, etc., the heart loses its ability to adequately pump enough blood to meet system's demand. Or the heart walls can become thickened and stiff effecting the heart's ability to adequately pump. Almost always it is a slow process and one should have symptoms and wouldn't appear healthy as you state.
The enlargement can be secondary to a vessel disease sourced from blocked vessels (CAD, coronary artery disease), diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. The left ventricle (pumping chamber) enlarges to increase output in compensation for the vessel disorder. If not properly treated the heart will enlarge and over stretch causing a loss of contractile strength and heart failure. Usually this has symptoms as well, but not always.
Also, an enlarged heart ventricle and atria chambers can disrupt the normal electrical impulses causing arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and cardiac arrest (the most likely scenario) or there could have been a break away of vessel plaque that blocked a major artery.
An autopsy of young military personnel returning from the war effort showed significant vessel blockage for many of those individuals... usually an older person's problem, but that condition cannot be ruled out.
______________________________________________________
You have had a very unfortunate experience. Sorry about that!
For a perspective, the etiology of an enlarged heart can be primary due to viral, familial, ideopathic (cause unknown), medication, alcohol, drugs, etc. In some cases the heart muscle is replaced by fibrotic tissue and fatty tissue, etc., the heart loses its ability to adequately pump enough blood to meet system's demand. Or the heart walls can become thickened and stiff effecting the heart's ability to adequately pump. Almost always it is a slow process and one should have symptoms and wouldn't appear healthy as you state.
The enlargement can be secondary to a vessel disease sourced from blocked vessels (CAD, coronary artery disease), diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. The left ventricle (pumping chamber) enlarges to increase output in compensation for the vessel disorder. If not properly treated the heart will enlarge and over stretch causing a loss of contractile strength and heart failure. Usually this has symptoms as well, but not always.
Also, an enlarged heart ventricle and atria chambers can disrupt the normal electrical impulses causing arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and cardiac arrest (the most likely scenario) or there could have been a break away of vessel plaque that blocked a major artery.
An autopsy of young military personnel returning from the war effort showed significant vessel blockage for many of those individuals... usually an older person's problem, but that condition cannot be ruled out.
No he was'nt on medication.He was just at the doctor a couple of weeks before and everything was fine.His blood pressure was normal.Yes they did an autopsy and that is how they found out that his heart was enlarged.Noone has any answers.I am not looking for money,nothing and no amount of money will bring him back.I just need more information.I feel like this is my fault for not waking up sooner.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Community
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.
