Medical Questions » Heart Questions » Question No. 503
| Question: | My doctor says I have an enlarged heart on X-ray. Is this dangerous? |
| Answer: | Probably not. If your doctor was concerned, he or she would certainly have given you treatment or referred you to a specialist. An enlarged heart is common in older people, those who are overweight and in first class athletes. Athletes and the obese put a greater demand on the blood pump (heart) and over several years it slowly enlarges to take the additional strain. In older people the heart may become weaker and thin walled, leading to a stretching and enlarging of the heart. If there are no associated symptoms or problems shown on the X-ray, it is unlikely for treatment to be needed. |
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