Which term is synonymous with an enlarged heart?

Which term is synonymous with an enlarged heart?

• A. Chronic
• B. Bradycardia
• C. Cyanosis/Cyanotic
• D. Cardiomegaly

Answer: (D)

The term for an enlarged heart is cardiomegaly. The prefix cardio- means heart, and the suffix -megaly means enlargement, so together they describe a heart that’s larger than normal. This term is used across veterinary and human medicine to describe the finding, which can be detected on imaging as a bigger-than-normal cardiac silhouette and can result from various conditions that cause the heart to remodel or dilate. Chronic simply refers to something long-standing or persistent, not to size. Bradycardia means a slower-than-normal heart rate. Cyanosis describes a bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes due to insufficient oxygen, not the size of the heart.

The term for an enlarged heart is cardiomegaly. The prefix cardio- means heart, and the suffix -megaly means enlargement, so together they describe a heart that’s larger than normal. This term is used across veterinary and human medicine to describe the finding, which can be detected on imaging as a bigger-than-normal cardiac silhouette and can result from various conditions that cause the heart to remodel or dilate.

Chronic simply refers to something long-standing or persistent, not to size. Bradycardia means a slower-than-normal heart rate. Cyanosis describes a bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes due to insufficient oxygen, not the size of the heart.