Risk Factors And Causes Of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Left ventricular hypertrophy occurs when the walls of the heart's left ventricle become enlarged and thickened. The left ventricle thickens as a response to one or more factors that makes it work harder than it usually would. An increase in workload causes the muscular tissues in the walls of the ventricle to become thicker, and subsequently, the overall size of the ventricle increases. This overall size increase causes the muscle of the heart to lose its elasticity, and it fails to pump as hard as it should. Additionally, the thickened left ventricle can compress the coronary arteries or the blood vessels that supply the chamber with blood. This compression causes a blood flow restriction to the left ventricle, reducing its function. Common symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, fainting, breathlessness, chest pain, and palpitations.