Definition
The term "ventricular hypertrophy" means an exaggerated increase in muscle mass of one or both cardiac ventricles: most of the time, this condition affects the left ventricle, which pushes oxygen-rich blood to all anatomical sites.
Ventricular hypertrophy: clinical evidence
Overwork of the left ventricle → ↑ volume of muscle walls → ↓ myocardial elasticity → ↓ efficacy of the heart muscle
Causes
Ventricular hypertrophy can be the immediate expression of various factors that require the ventricle to overwork (eg hypertension): the request for such an effort creates damage to the heart walls, which progressively lose elasticity, being no longer able to pump blood like a healthy heart.
- Risk factors: peripheral cardiomyopathy (thickening of the myocardium), muscular dystrophy, Fabry disease (genetic disorder in which the lysosomal alpha-galactosidase enzyme is deficient), hypertension, stenosis (narrowing) of the aortic valve
Symptoms
Initially asymptomatic, ventricular hypertrophy is a subtle disease, the symptoms of which become manifest when the disease is already in progress: fatigue, chest pain, heartbeat, dyspnoea, shortness of breath, immediate fatigue after / during physical activity, perception of rapid and pounding beats, fainting, dizziness.
Information on Ventricular Hypertrophy - Medicines for the Treatment of Ventricular Hypertrophy is not intended to replace the direct relationship between the health professional and the patient. Ventricular hypertrophy.
Medicines
The treatment for ventricular hypertrophy essentially consists in recognizing (and treating) the causes of origin: according to the etiopathological factor, it is the doctor's duty to choose the most suitable therapeutic option for the patient (drugs and / or surgery) .
Since the subject of the topic is a muscle, ventricular hypertrophy can be considered an almost completely reversible phenomenon (just like it happens to muscles): however, to reverse the pathology, it is essential to intervene promptly, despite the symptoms tend to manifest when the disease is already in the advanced stage.
We have analyzed that hypertension constitutes one of the most important risk factors for ventricular hypertrophy: according to this, it is well understood how the control of blood pressure values is of great interest in preventing and treating hypertrophy.
NOTE:
- In patients suffering from hypertension, the regression of ventricular hypertrophy reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems;
- The hypertensive person with a previous history of ventricular hypertrophy will not be able to recover definitively, since the fibrotic component - which distinguishes ventricular hypertrophy dependent on hypertension - struggles to regress
The administration of antihypertensive drugs (especially Beta blockers, diuretics and ACE inhibitors) is the drug therapy strategy of choice for the treatment of ventricular hypertrophy dependent on hypertension; when ventricular hypertrophy depends on a narrowing of the aortic valve, the only solution is surgical intervention, consisting in the removal and subsequent replacement of the same with an artificial or human valve.
The following are the classes of drugs most used in the therapy for ventricular hypertrophy, and some examples of pharmacological specialties; it is up to the doctor to choose the active ingredient and the dosage most suitable for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state health of the patient and his response to treatment:
Thiazide diuretics: by promoting the elimination of sodium and water, these drugs are useful in ventricular hypertrophy to reduce blood volume.
Beta-blockers: they are also indicated in the prevention of ventricular hypertrophy, because they slow the heartbeat, prevent some harmful effects of stress hormones and reduce pressure.
Here are some active ingredients most used in therapy for ventricular hypertrophy.
For the dosage: read the article on drugs for the treatment of hypertension
- Atenolol (eg. Atenol, Tenoretic, Tenormin)
- Metoprolol Tartrate (eg. Seloken, Lopresor, Metoprolol AGE)
- Carvedilol (eg. Colver)
- Bisoprolol hemifumarate (eg. Concor)
Calcium antagonists: these drugs are also indicated in the treatment of hypertension as a precautionary form of ventricular hypertrophy: these active agents deny the entry of calcium into the cells of the heart and into the walls of blood vessels, decreasing blood pressure.
The calcium antagonist drugs most used in therapy for ventricular hypertrophy are:
- Amlodipine Besilate (eg Norvasc)
- Diltiazem (eg Altiazem, Tildiem, Diladel)
- Verapamil (eg Isoptin, Kata)
ACE inhibitors: used in therapy for both hypertension and for the prevention / treatment of ventricular hypertrophy: these drugs improve blood flow and decrease the workload of the heart. The most used in the treatment of ventricular hypertrophy are:
- Enalapril Maleato (eg. Converten)
- Lisinopril (e.g. Zestril, Ensor, Nosilix)
The drugs just described, in addition to reducing hypertension, can prevent a further volumetric increase in the muscle of the ventricle, thus reducing its hypertrophy.
