The thickening of the heart muscle that increases its size and strength is called what?

• A. Bradycardia
• B. Atherosclerosis
• C. Cardiac Hypertrophy
• D. Atheroma

Answer: (C)

When the heart has to work harder over time, its muscle can thicken and become stronger. This enlargement of the heart muscle is called cardiac hypertrophy. It happens because the heart cells grow larger to generate more force, so the walls become thicker. This can be a normal adaptation in athletes (physiological hypertrophy), or a response to disease conditions like high blood pressure or valve problems (pathological hypertrophy), which can affect how the heart fills and relaxes if it becomes excessive.

Bradycardia means a slow heart rate, not a structural change in the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis and atheroma describe buildup of plaques in arteries, not thickening of the heart muscle itself.