CARDIOMEGALY

Course overview

CARDIOMEGALY IS AN UMBRELLA DESIGNATION FOR VARIOUS CONDITIONS LEADING TO ENLARGEMENT OF THE HEART, WHICH USUALLY REMAINS UNDIAGNOSED UNTIL THE SYMPTOMS ENSUE. IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY PREVALENT AND CARRIES A HIGH MORTALITY. CARDIOMEGALY MEANS ENLARGEMENT OF THE HEART. THE DEFINITION IS WHEN THE TRANSVERSE DIAMETER OF THE CARDIAC SILHOUETTE IS GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO 50% OF THE TRANSVERSE DIAMETER OF THE CHEST (INCREASED CARDIOTHORACIC RATIO) ON A POSTERIOR-ANTERIOR PROJECTION OF A CHEST RADIOGRAPH OR A COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CARDIOMEGALY. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.