Filed in Category Pediatric Cardiology
My son had a EKG done 4 days ago which showed left ventricular hypertrophy, they then did an x-ray which showed normal. They sent us to a pediatric cardiology clinic to get an echocardiogram done today. She did the echo, and when she was done she said the results would be sent to his pediatrician within 2 business days. She said there was nothing serious enough to keep him in the hospital. I asked ” So did his heart look normal? You didn’t see any thickening?” She said ” I didn’t say that, I said there was nothing serious enough to keep him in the hospital.” The cardiologist will look it over and you will get a call within 2 business days. I know I only have 2 days to wait but to a mother who has already waited nearly a week…that is forever! I am very worried about my son. I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but it did not show up until adulthood. I have read that if it shows up in childhood it is usually more serious. Is this true? What is the probability that he has cardiomyopathy since the technician said it was nothing significant enough to put him in the hospital? Please, Please, anyone who has any information please let me know. And please do not tell me to ask my cardiologist, or tell me not to trust my sons health to yahoo…. I know this. I am just looking for some insight while I am waiting to hear from the cardiologist….. Thanks.
4 Comments so far
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2 Year Old With Left Ventricular Hypertrophy?
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Re: Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
Posted By CCF-CARDIO-MD-APS on April 06, 1998 at 13:06:1…[more]
Valve and CAD disorders
I actually have two questions. I am 39 years old and rec…[more]
LV Concentric hypertrophy (2 replies):
Dear doctor, I have High blood pressure for the past …[more]
RBBB with Right Ventricular Hypertrophy (10 replies):
My stats are as follows: I am 26 years 8 months old, mal…[more]
Re: Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
Posted By CCF CARDIO MD – CRC on July 16, 1998 at 17:59:…[more]http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Heart-Disea…
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common familial genetic disease of the heart.
Echocardiography may be done for detailed investigation.
High blood pressure and overweight may be monitored.
Please note that I am not a medical professional.
The technician can’t legally answer any questions. That is why you got the answer that you did.
It is a progressive disorder. It tends to grow due to certain stimuli such as stress, as one example. People under the age of 30 tend to have most progression of the hypertrophy. After age 30 most people don’t have any progression. At its earliest detectable stages it won’t hinder any physical activities. As the Hypertrophy grows a slowly growing physical limitations, similar to the effects obesity, will appear.
As a person with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, you should already know much of this. I hate to say it, but they probably could have detected this condition in you by age 17 or earlier, if anyone had looked. The adult version starts growing at puberty. Just remember with your son, that this is unlikely to be immediately life threatening. It would be a problem to plan around in the future.
As to the probability, your doctor probably doesn’t even know the answer yet. He or she is the only person who can answer that question. Birth defects can be very bad in this area. But then again it might be minor and not progressive due to it being a birth defect rather than a slowly developing disease.
This sounds like it could be a genetic condition, something that runs in the family. Since you have something very similar yourself (the difference is that your son has a hypertrophy of his left ventricle, and you have hypertrophy of the entire heart muscle), you should know and understand ways of managing such a condition. IF your son has it, it’s been caught early, and could be managed well, so to avoid any complications. I can only tell you as much as I know right now, but I do hope this helps and I wish you and your son all the best!