Good Morning Sherry,
My hubby had a 2D echo in September that was abnormal so he goes back for more tests the first part of December...............I know how you feel as it comes out of the blue and you try to not worry but we are human.
Let me see if I can help a bit.
The description 'a slight thickening of the heart' can relate to a number of conditions, depending on which part of the heart is thickened and by how much.
More often than not the expression relates to a thickening of the heart muscle, particularly in the wall of the lower chamber on the left side of the heart (the left ventricle).
This is termed 'left ventricular hypertrophy' and is a sign that the heart is having to pump harder to effectively get the oxygen-rich blood around the body.
This appearance may be related to a number of different conditions, including high blood pressure, heart valve problems and rarely, inherited conditions of the heart muscle.
It poses problems if the thickening is such that it significantly affects the heart's ability to pump oxygenated blood around the body.
In the light of the report, your doctor has made some changes in your husband's treatment in adding Pravachol and planning for a repeat of his stress test.
To the best of my knowledge, high blood pressure (hypertension) is the most common cause of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Please do be an advocate for you husband and if you have any questions or concerns call and talk with his Dr. We are always here for you.
I wish you peace,
Kitt