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What Do My Echocardiogram Test Results Indicate?
Question: I had an echocardiogram today and receive the following results and I want to know what they mean:
CONCLUSIONS:
- Exam indication: Cardiac Murmur
- The left ventricle is mildly dilated. Left ventricular systolic function is
normal. EF = 67 ± 5% (2D biplane) Baseline left ventricular diastolic function is
normal.
- The right ventricle is normal in size. Right ventricular systolic function is
normal.
- The left atrial cavity is severely dilated.
- There are no significant valvular abnormalities.
CONCLUSIONS:
- Exam indication: Cardiac Murmur
- The left ventricle is mildly dilated. Left ventricular systolic function is
normal. EF = 67 ± 5% (2D biplane) Baseline left ventricular diastolic function is
normal.
- The right ventricle is normal in size. Right ventricular systolic function is
normal.
- The left atrial cavity is severely dilated.
- There are no significant valvular abnormalities.
Brief Answer:
Thyroid function tests
Detailed Answer:
Greetings. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I carefully read your exam.
All the parameters look fine, including the left ventricular function. Except for the left atrial cavity, which is severely dilated and, clearly, it can be because of secondary causes. Why is this concerning? This is concerning because dilation means muscle cells moving away from each-other and gaps created filled with fibrotic (scar) tissue which make this part of the heart muscle a substrate for supraventricular arrhythmias - atrial flutter or fibrillation. These arrhythmias, when controlled, treated or prevented, are mostly benign.
However, there are certain conditions in other organic systems in the human organism, which affect the atrial heart muscle and may cause its dilation. The most common one is hormonal balance disturbance in the thyroid tissue. At this time, I would recommend you to perform thyroid function tests:
- TSH
- fT4
- fT3
If any thyroid disturbance is revealed, then a consult with an endocrinologist would be in order, to properly treat the thyroid problem, with possible beneficial effects on the atrial tissue and, thus, on the prevention of the above mentioned arrhythmias.
I hope I was helpful with my answer. If you have follow-up questions, I would be happy to help. I kindly ask you to rate my answer, if you do not. Wish you a good health.
Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
Thyroid function tests
Detailed Answer:
Greetings. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I carefully read your exam.
All the parameters look fine, including the left ventricular function. Except for the left atrial cavity, which is severely dilated and, clearly, it can be because of secondary causes. Why is this concerning? This is concerning because dilation means muscle cells moving away from each-other and gaps created filled with fibrotic (scar) tissue which make this part of the heart muscle a substrate for supraventricular arrhythmias - atrial flutter or fibrillation. These arrhythmias, when controlled, treated or prevented, are mostly benign.
However, there are certain conditions in other organic systems in the human organism, which affect the atrial heart muscle and may cause its dilation. The most common one is hormonal balance disturbance in the thyroid tissue. At this time, I would recommend you to perform thyroid function tests:
- TSH
- fT4
- fT3
If any thyroid disturbance is revealed, then a consult with an endocrinologist would be in order, to properly treat the thyroid problem, with possible beneficial effects on the atrial tissue and, thus, on the prevention of the above mentioned arrhythmias.
I hope I was helpful with my answer. If you have follow-up questions, I would be happy to help. I kindly ask you to rate my answer, if you do not. Wish you a good health.
Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Brief Answer:
Welcome back
Detailed Answer:
Hello again and welcome back.
Well, another reason for atrial enlargement is any obstructive cause in the airway, such as obstructive sleep apnea, which puts atria in constant stretching condition, until it finally results in atrial enlargement. As I concluded from the echocardiogram, a positive finding is that there is no cardiac cause for this enlargement. From now on, it should be taken into consideration to put you on treatment for prevention of episodes of supraventricular arrhythmias, discussed in my first answer. You can discuss about the drug, dosage and frequency of usage, with your treating physician.
I hope I was helpful. If you do not have further questions, pleasr close the discussion and rate my answer.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Welcome back
Detailed Answer:
Hello again and welcome back.
Well, another reason for atrial enlargement is any obstructive cause in the airway, such as obstructive sleep apnea, which puts atria in constant stretching condition, until it finally results in atrial enlargement. As I concluded from the echocardiogram, a positive finding is that there is no cardiac cause for this enlargement. From now on, it should be taken into consideration to put you on treatment for prevention of episodes of supraventricular arrhythmias, discussed in my first answer. You can discuss about the drug, dosage and frequency of usage, with your treating physician.
I hope I was helpful. If you do not have further questions, pleasr close the discussion and rate my answer.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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