foodconsumer.org: Gaines Adams dies with enlarged heart:  What You Need to Know

Gaines Adams dies with enlarged heart:  What You Need to Know
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admin on 01/17/2010 23:35:00
 
Gaines Adams, 26, a defensive lineman for the Chicago bears, died Sunday in
South Carolina, the AP reported.
Adams passed away Sunday morning at Self Regional Hospital just one hour after
he suffered cardiac arrest at his family's home in Greenwood County, according
to Marcia Kelley-Clark, the county's chief deputy coroner.  An autopsy revealed
that Adams had an enlarged heart.
Adams was never suspected of having any medical condition that could lead to his
death, Kelley-Clark said.
Tests will be run to determine if any drug use was involved, even though none is
expected. Toxicology test results should not be expected for another two months.
Enlarged heart, medically called cardiomegaly, is not a disease, but a symptom
of another condition.
An enlarged heart can be found in both healthy and unhealthy people.  A person
may develop an enlarged heart because of stress or a medical condition, such as
the weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease among others.
Enlarged Heart Symptoms
Not all people with enlarged heart experience the same symptoms. However, some
possible symptoms or signs of the condition include difficulty breathing,
feeling dizzy, having abnormal heart rhythm, swelling and coughing.
As an enlarged heart is linked to heart attack, people experiencing chest pain,
shortness of breath and fainting should seek immediate medical attention.
Enlarged Heart Causes
Many things can cause this condition. But the most common causes or risk factors
include high blood pressure, heart valve disease, weakness of the heart muscle,
congenital heart defect, abnormal heartbeat or arrhythmia, pulmonary
hypertension, anemia, thyroid disorder, hemochromatosis, and amyloidosis or
protein buildup in the heart.
Enlarged Heart Complications Or Prognosis
The condition can lead to heart failure, blood clotting, heart murmuring,
cardiac arrest and sudden death.
Enlarged Heart Prevention
It is not easy to prevent this condition in most cases.  Vitamin D supplements
may help reduce the risk of enlarged heart and heart failure, according to a
study reported earier on foodconsumer.org
Reporting by Jimmy Downs and editing by Rachel Stockton