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Myocardial Hypertrophy

Meaning

Myocardial hypertrophy is a pathological condition defined by the abnormal thickening and enlargement of the heart muscle, the myocardium, in response to chronic pressure overload or sustained hemodynamic stress. This compensatory growth, involving an increase in the size of individual heart muscle cells, initially maintains cardiac output but eventually leads to reduced ventricular compliance and impaired diastolic function. It is a major precursor to heart failure and is significantly influenced by endocrine factors.