Your doctor will diagnose cardiomyopathy based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and the results from tests and procedures. Continue reading →

CardiomyopathyOpened left ventricle showing thickening, dilatation, and subendocardial fibrosis noticeable as increased whiteness of the inside of the heart.SpecialtyCardiologySymptomsShortness of breath, feeling tired, swelling of the legs[1]ComplicationsHeart failure, irregular heart beat, sudden cardiac death[1][2]TypesHypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, takotsubo cardiomyopathy[3]CausesUnknown, genetic, alcohol, heavy metals, amyloidosis, stress[3][4]TreatmentDepends on type and symptoms[5]Frequency2.5 million with myocarditis (2015)[6]Deaths354,000 with myocarditis (2015)[7] Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle.[8] Early on there may be few or no symptoms.[1] Some people may have shortness of breath, feel tired, or have swelling of the legs due to heart failure.[1] An irregular heart beat may occur as well as fainting.[1] Those affected are at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death.[2] Types of cardiomyopathy include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, and takotsubo cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome).[3] In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy the heart muscle enlarges and thickens.[3] In dilated cardiomyopathy the ventricles enlarge and weaken.[3] In restrictive cardiomyopathy the ventricle stiffens.[3] The cause is frequently unknown.[4] Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy usually is inherited, while dilated cardiomyopathy is inherited in a third of cases.[4] Dilated cardiomyopathy may also result from alcohol, heavy metals, coronary heart disease, cocaine use, and viral infections.[4] Restrictive cardiomyopathy may be caused by amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, and some cancer treatments.[4] Broken heart syndrome is caused by extreme emotional or physical stress.[3] Treatment depends on the type of cardiomyopathy and the severity of symptoms.[5] Treatments may include lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery.[5] In 2015 cardiomyopathy and myocarditis affected 2.5 million people.[6] Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects about 1 in 500 people while dilated cardiomyopathy affects 1 in 2,500.[3][9] They resulted in 354,000 deaths up from 294,000 in 1990.[7][10] Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is more common in young people.[2] Symptoms of cardiomyopathies may include fatigue, swelling of the lower extremities and shortness of breath.[11] Further indications of the condition may include:[11] Cardiomyopathies are either confined to the heart or are part of a generalized systemic disorder, both often leading to cardiovascular death or progressive heart failure-related disability. Other diseases that cause heart muscle dysfunction are excluded, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, or abnormalities of the heart valves.[12] Often, the underlying cause remains unknown, but in many cases the cause may identifiable.[13] Alcoholism, for example, has been identified as a cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, as has drug toxicity, and certain infections (including Hepatitis C).[14][15][16] Untreated celiac disease can cause cardiomyopathies, which can completely reverse with a timely diagnosis.[17] In addition to acquired causes, molecular biology and genetics have given rise to the recognition of various genetic causes.[15][18] A more clinical categorization of cardiomyopathy as 'hypertrophied', 'dilated', or 'restrictive',[19] has become difficult to maintain because some of the conditions could fulfill more than one of those three categories at any particular stage of their development. The current American Heart Association definition divides cardiomyopathies into primary, which affect the heart alone, and secondary, which are the result of illness affecting other parts of the body Continue reading →

Types of cardiomyopathy There are three main types of inherited cardiomyopathy: Another type of cardiomyopathy, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, can be caused by extreme stress. This type is not passed on through families and often disappears in time. Continue reading →