Echo Question

[Jen]

Hello,

I was going over my echo results before my cath Monday. I came across something I don't understand. It stated "concentric LVH with septal predominance"... What does this mean and can it affect me negatively if i jog/brisk walk??

Thanks!!

 

[ken taylor]

concentric lvh -- the muscle on the left sided pumping chamber increases in size and thickness, in my case it is due to yhe fact that the heart muscle is getting bigger to compensate for the extra force needed to push the blood through my small valve opening due to stenoses, The muscle will be monitered for thickness and lose of vlexibility, after valve replacement it should go back to normal, it could take a year for the heart to re modle it self. And I would keep walking un less you start having symptoms .

 

[jennifer]

Jen, the LVH stand for left ventricular hypertrophy, as ken described. My cardiologist actually used my left venticular dilation as a criteria that it's time for surgery. (Mine is 7cm and > 6.2 is considered 'severe'). A website that I suggested to someone else on here recently is http://www.echopedia.org/wiki/Normal_Values. My doctor said walking is fine, just nothing very vigorous and no straining.
Good luck with the cath!

 

[Jen]

Thank you both for the input, I will check out that site. I have noticed I am physically only able to jog like 45 seconds every 5-6 minutes, so i have kept it to walking lately. But hey, still moving so that is what counts for me!