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Cardiac
enlargement refers to an increase in the size of the heart. There are two types
of cardiac enlargement: hypertrophy and dilation. (Though usually occurring
separately, they may occur at the same time.) Hypertrophy involves an increase
in the thickness of the heart muscle. Dilation involves an increase in the size
of the inside cavity of a chamber of the heart. Hypertrophy usually occurs in
only one chamber while dilation may occur in one, two, three, or all of the
chambers, based on its cause. In most cases,
cardiac enlargement is abnormal and
accompanied by additional cardiovascular problems. The one exception is regular
aerobic exercise, which produces a beneficial enlargement involving both
hypertrophy and dilation of the heart.
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