Just a quick question for some of you experts. I just received my echo results yesterday, my first echo since MAR 06. Everything was good, EF 62% Up from55% last year), normal wall motion, only trace tricuspid valve leakage and the diastolic disfunction from last year was gone. The only issue was a new diagnosis for LVH with a measurement of 1.2 cm. The reason I had the echo last year was to get the OK to start an exercise routine which I have followed faithfully for 13 months and have lost over 60 pounds. I have two questions;

1. I thought I read that exercise can cause LVH, anyone else ever hear that?
2. What is the normal measurement for the LV wall?

I am a 49 year old male, still 40 pounds overweight, non smoker, controlled blood pressure and cholesterol and no family history.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tony

Hi Toneman, I am no expert but have been reading about this lately. The exercise you refer to that can cause left ventricular wall thickness is more extreme exercise, or aerobic exercise. Of course the common reason is the heart's response to an extra workload caused usually by sustained higher blood pressure. Blood pressure medication such as ACE inhibitors and ARBs seem to be effective in treating LVH and also seem more effective than beta blockers - just why that is I do not know - a bit surprising considering that BBs are better in reducing heart workload and provide other cardio benefits (lowering overall risk).
I would be a little cautious about a first diagnosis of LVH because I think a pattern showing increases in wall thickness over several scans should be established. The situation where one person's heart size and wall structure is compared to someone else's or to an "average" size may not be reliable.
You need to go back to the older scan and see what the measurement was then, and on top of that look at any changes in your exercise patterns.
Hope this helps a bit. Beefsteak.

Thanks for the comments. I do have the old echo from Mar 06 which did not give any measurements, it just noted that LVH was not identified. I have since read that LVH is diagnosed at 1.2 cm, another site showed 1.3 cm and another 1.5 cm. I also read that it varies by the size of the individual and I am 6'1" and 240 pounds.

Since the old echo did not give a number, for all I know it did not increase by much at all, just enough to put me over to the mild LVH range. Both the PA from the cardiologist and my family doctor who also got the results called and said it was nothing to worry about, just something to watch going forward so I guess it's not too terrible yet.

My exercise routine has been aerobic, 45 minutes on a treadmill and I have done this daily for 13 months with out any symptoms whatsoever. That's why I wondered if it could have caused the increase.

Again, thanks for the comments.