A young man whose face would swell up every time he would drink alcohol was diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening heart condition. It took doctors more than two years to understand his condition, with his symptoms gradually worsening as swelling spread to his entire body, and he suffered heart failure.

According to the doctors, the man had a rupture of a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm - a rare but serious condition where a weakened area in the aortic wall, known as the sinus of Valsalva, can cause life-threatening complications. Those with an unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm usually do not get any symptoms, but they may occasionally suffer from breathlessness, fatigue, palpitations, and even chest pain.

If not treated, this rare condition leads to heart failure or even cardiac arrest, which can be fatal.

A previously healthy patient, the man, whose case was published in the Journal of Medical Reports, suddenly developed a puffy face and eyelids after strenuous workouts following a night of binge drinking. "This event likely triggered the rupture of the non-coronary sinus into the right atrium," medics wrote in the paper.

After a few repeated events, he went to the hospital, where he was told his protein and uric acid levels in urine were high. While his heart and lung check also showed nothing of the ordinary, the man’s symptoms got worse despite being given diuretics and urate-lowering treatOver time, he started suffering from chest tightness and swelling in his stomach. "The initial clinician missed key indicators of a ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm, such as a continuous mechanical murmur in the precordial region," medics wrote.

"This misdiagnosis delayed appropriate intervention. As the disease progressed, the patient’s symptoms worsened significantly, which posed a serious risk. Upon admission to the hospital, he exhibited clear signs of acute right heart failure."

A physical examination of his heart showed that both chambers were enlarged with bulges around 24 mm by 27 mm in size, with a small opening inside it measuring 6 mm. He was then rushed into surgery to repair the rupture, which took place without a hitch. According to doctors, he has now fully recovered.

An enlarged heart or cardiomegaly describes a heart that is bigger than what is typical. Your heart may be unusually thick or dilated and can be either temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. Cardiomegaly can happen to your whole heart or just parts of it.

Heart enlargement can also be your heart’s reaction to something that forces it to use more effort to circulate blood. It’s like walking uphill all the time instead of on level ground. In some cases, your heart becomes enlarged due to an underlying problem with the heart itself.

Doctors say an enlarged heart does not necessarily cause symptoms, but when it does, you may experience:

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