Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Treatment

LVH is the term used for the increased thickness of the wall of the left ventricle which most often happens due to extra work the heart is doing. It is usually the result of high blood pressure (hypertension), aortic valve disease or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The main goals in treatment are to fix the underlying cause, stop complications such as problems with the heart or heart failure and improve or control thickened heart tissue.

Treatments Options for LVH:

Lifestyle Modifications

• Reducing sodium, eating healthy with the DASH diet, giving up alcohol and keeping your weight down can help you manage your blood pressure.
• Having a regular aerobic routine is good for your heart and helps bring down your BP (according to a doctor).
• By shedding weight, you give your heart a lighter task to handle.
• Quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol use: Lowers the risks for heart and vascular problems.

Medications

To keep blood pressure, heart rate or heart-related problems in check:

• Enalapril and lisinopril as ACE Inhibitors help decrease blood pressure and make the heart muscle smaller.
• These drugs are given if you cannot use ACE inhibitors.
• These medications (like amlodipine and diltiazem) lower blood pressure and lessen how much the heart has to work when pumping blood.
• Like metoprolol and carvedilol, beta-blockers help slow down the heart, reduce BP and improve how well your LV functions.
• Diuretics: Control too much fluid in the body and lower blood pressure.
• Same as above, these drugs also have the ability to reduce cardiac fibrosis and the mass of the left ventricle.

Treating Underlying Causes

• Hypertension: How aggressively it is tackled is the main reason for success.
• Aortic Valve Disease: Often treated with valve repair or replacement which may be done through surgery or a more minor procedure.
• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Makes it possible to use beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and both septal myectomy and ablation with alcohol.

Device Therapy

• An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is designed for those with a strong risk of arrhythmias or sudden heart deaths, mainly in people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
• Presented for heart failure patients with abnormal rhythms.

Monitoring and Follow-up

• Getting echocardiograms often to see how your heart is developing and operating.
• Regularly keeping an eye on blood pressure and symptoms.

How to treat left ventricular hypertrophy?

To treat LVH, the main cause must be managed, the heart load reduced and serious complications prevented. This approach helps you move step-by-step:

Identify & Treat the Underlying Cause

These conditions are usually caused by:

• Hypertension which is high blood pressure is the most common cause.
• Problems of the aortic valve such as aortic stenosis
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Myocardial changes (also known as athlete′s heart) caused by intense training.

Medications

In cases of blood pressure and heart remodeling:

• ACE Inhibitors
• ARBs
• Beta-Blockers
• These drugs are called Calcium Channel Blockers.
• Diuretics
• Aldosterone Antagonists

Lifestyle Changes

• Eat according to the DASH style (control sodium; include lots of fruits, vegetables and healthier proteins).
• Moderate exercise such as brisk walking, jogging or cycling is recommended — it’s important not to push too hard
• Weight loss: Makes blood pressure and the heart’s work lighter
• Eat less salt, alcohol and caffeine.
• Quit smoking

Surgical/Procedural Options

• For people with problems affecting their heart’s structure:
• Replacing the aortic valve is needed when part of the valve is not functioning properly
• Either a myectomy or an injection of alcohol into the muscle between the ventricles is performed for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with obstruction.

Monitoring

• Echocardiogram allows you to record the size, thickness and movement of the left ventricle.
• Blood pressure assessment can be done both at home and in clinic.
• If needed, an ECG and occasionally Holter monitoring are done to check for arrhythmias.
• Blood tests can examine kidney problems, check electrolytes and identify risks.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Symptoms and Treatment

What are the symptoms of LVH?

Early in the disease, you may not experience any symptoms from LVH. With time, you could notice:

Common Symptoms:

• Having shortness of breath when you exert yourself
• Becoming tired easier during physical activity
• Chest pain (angina) is possible even if the person has no coronary artery disease
• Palpitations mean an elevated heart rate with irregularity.
• A feeling of dizziness or fainting when being physically active
• When heart failure develops, you may notice that your legs or ankles swell.

Best Treatment for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

The effective treatment for left ventricular hypertrophy should be determined according to the cause, the condition’s severity and if the patient is having symptoms or complications. Here's a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment approach:

Underlying the Cause 

Most Common Cause:

• High blood pressure or hypertension,
• Tight control of blood pressure is the best method for both preventing and reversing LVH.

Other Causes:

• Disease of the aortic valve may lead to a surgical repair or valve replacement
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy → Might require medical drugs or a cardiac surgery

It is not a disease by itself—LVH shows an increase in heart risk and is treated when there is hypertension, valvular heart disease or cardiomyopathy.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Treatment Guidelines

Goals of LVH Treatment

• Control the cause, mainly hypertension
• Lighten or diminish the weight of the left ventricle
• Stop the development of heart failure, arrhythmias or sudden death

Blood Pressure Control

Target BP:

• 130/80 mmHg (according to ACC/AHA guidelines for the majority of people with LVH)

Treat Underlying Heart Diseases

The heart condition known as Aortic Valve Disease

• Aortic Stenosis or Regurgitation → Send for evaluation for valve replacement (open surgery or TAVR)

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease of the heart.

• Medications used include beta-blockers or non-dihydropyridine CCBs, for instance, verapamil.
• Septal Myectomy or Alcohol Septal Ablation is done for patients with LVOT obstruction.
• ICD for people who are at risk of sudden cardiac death

Lifestyle Modifications

• You should try to keep your sodium to 2.3 grams or less daily.
• All the recommendations mention DASH diet.
• It is recommended that you get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week.
• For weight loss, your BMI should be less than 25.
• Stopping smoking and drinking less

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Hypertension Treatment

Hypertension is the top reason for LVH and the objective is to lower blood pressure, reverse or improve LVH and avoid heart failure, arrhythmias or sudden death due to heart events.

Treatment Goals

• Reduce your blood pressure to the range your doctor recommends
• Reduce or make the walls of the left ventricle thinner (or reduce the left ventricle’s mass).
• Keep heart and circulation related problems at bay
• Pay attention to harmful lifestyle habits and metabolic problems.

Goal for Normal Blood Pressure

• The ACC/AHA guidelines from 2017 and the ESC guidelines from 2018 suggest <130/80 mmHg.

Factors Affecting Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Treatment Cost

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) treatment costs can change a lot due to medical, regional and socioeconomic factors. These are the important things that determine how much treatment will cost:

• Underlying Cause
• Type and Number of Medications
• Diagnostic and Monitoring Tests
• Geographic Location & Healthcare System
• Insurance Coverage
• Inpatient vs. Outpatient Management
• Complications and Comorbidities

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Treatment in Diabetes

If a person has diabetes and LVH, the treatment should address risks to the heart and to their metabolism at the same time. LVH-related problems such as heart failure, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death are more likely in people with diabetes.

Treatment Goals

• Monitor how high blood pressure gets.
• Keep blood sugar levels under 7%
• Decrease the amount of tissue in the left ventricle.
• Avoid heart failure and problems with the blood vessels
• Eliminate or try to reduce, the effects of medications on kidney function.

Diabetes Treatment: Drugs That Help the Heart

What Are the Best Medications for Diabetes to Prevent Heart + LVH damage?

• SGLT2 inhibitors
• Medicines that activate the GLP-1 receptor
• Metformin
• DPP-4 inhibitors

Why Choose GetWellGo for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Treatment?

GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our foreign clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.

We offer:

• Complete transparency
• Fair costs.
• 24 hour availability.
• Medical E-visas
• Online consultation from recognized Indian experts.
• Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for left ventricular hypertrophy treatment.
• Expert cardiologist with a strong track record of success
• Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
• Language Support
• Travel and Accommodation Services
• Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
• Local SIM Cards
• Currency Exchange
• Arranging Patient’s local food