What term is used to describe an enlarged heart?

Study for the NHA Medical Assistant Certification Exam. Enhance your preparation with our flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your exam!

The term used to describe an enlarged heart is cardiomegaly. This condition is typically identified through imaging studies such as an X-ray or echocardiogram, which show an increase in the size of the heart. Cardiomegaly can be caused by various factors, including high blood pressure, heart valve disease, or cardiomyopathy, among others.

Understanding this term is significant because recognizing cardiomegaly can lead to further evaluation and management of underlying heart conditions. The other terms provided refer to different medical concepts: cardiomyopathy pertains to diseases of the heart muscle itself, cerebrovascular accident describes a stroke, and congestive heart failure refers to the heart's inability to pump effectively, which can sometimes result from cardiomegaly but is not the term that directly defines the enlarged heart itself.

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