Question

a 68 - year - old male presents with progressive dyspnea, experienced over the past year. by echocardiography, the left ventricular wall is greatly hypertrophied. his chest radiograph reveals pulmonary congestion and a prominent left heart shadow. which of the following conditions probably led to these findings? chronic alcoholism centrilobular emphysema sarcoidosis hypertension

Explanation:

• Chronic alcoholism: Leads to dilated cardiomyopathy (ventricular dilation, not hypertrophy).
• Centrilobular emphysema: Associated with pulmonary hypertension (right - heart issues, not left - ventricular hypertrophy).
• Sarcoidosis: Can cause restrictive cardiomyopathy (not typical left - ventricular hypertrophy as described).
• Hypertension: Increases afterload on the left ventricle. Over time, the left ventricle hypertrophies to pump against the increased pressure. Left - ventricular failure (due to hypertrophy and eventual dysfunction) can lead to pulmonary congestion (as blood backs up into the lungs). A prominent left - heart shadow on chest radiograph is consistent with left - ventricular enlargement (from hypertrophy).

Answer:

Hypertension