Cardiomyopathy
Overview
Cardiomyopathy
(kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it
harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. Cardiomyopathy
can lead to heart failure.
The main types of cardiomyopathy
include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Treatment — which
might include medications, surgically implanted devices, heart surgery, or in
severe cases, a heart transplant — depends on which type of cardiomyopathy you
have and how serious it is.
Types
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Symptoms
There might be no signs or
symptoms in the initial stages of cardiomyopathy. But as the condition
advances, signs and symptoms usually appear, including:
Breathlessness with activity
or even at rest
Swelling of the legs, ankles,
and feet
Bloating of the abdomen due
to fluid buildup
Cough while lying down
Difficulty lying flat to
sleep
Fatigue
Heartbeats that feel rapid,
pounding or fluttering
Chest discomfort or pressure
Dizziness, lightheadedness,
and fainting
Signs and symptoms tend to
get worse unless treated. In some people, the condition worsens quickly; in
others, it might not worsen for a long time.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you have
one or more signs or symptoms associated with cardiomyopathy. Call 911 or your
local emergency number if you have severe difficulty breathing, fainting or
chest pain that lasts for more than a few minutes.
Some types of cardiomyopathies
can be passed down through families (inherited). If you have the condition,
your doctor might recommend that your family members be checked.
Causes
Often the cause of the
cardiomyopathy is unknown. In some people, however, it is the result of another
condition (acquired) or passed on from a parent (inherited).
Certain health conditions or
behaviors that can lead to acquired cardiomyopathy include:
Long-term high blood
pressure
Heart tissue damage from a
heart attack
Long-term rapid heart rate
Heart valve problems
COVID-19 infection
Certain other infections,
especially those that cause inflammation of the heart
Metabolic disorders, such as
obesity, thyroid disease, or diabetes
Lack of essential vitamins
or minerals in your diet, such as thiamin (vitamin B-1)
Pregnancy complications
Iron buildup in your heart
muscle (hemochromatosis)
The growth of tiny lumps of
inflammatory cells (granulomas) in any part of your body, including your heart
and lungs (sarcoidosis)
The buildup of abnormal
proteins in the organs (amyloidosis)
Connective tissue disorders
Drinking too much alcohol
over many years
Use of cocaine, amphetamines,
or anabolic steroids
Use of some chemotherapy
drugs and radiation to treat cancer
Types of cardiomyopathies
include:
Dilated
cardiomyopathy. In this type of cardiomyopathy, the pumping
ability of your heart's main pumping chamber — the left ventricle — becomes
enlarged (dilated) and cannot effectively pump blood out of the heart.
Although this type can
affect people of all ages, it occurs most often in middle-aged people and is
more likely to affect men. The most common cause is coronary artery disease or
heart attack. However, it can also be caused by genetic defects.
Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy. This type involves abnormal thickening of
your heart muscle, which makes it harder for the heart to work. It mostly
affects the muscle of your heart's main pumping chamber (left ventricle).
Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy can develop at any age, but the condition
tends to be more severe if it occurs during childhood. Most people with this
type of cardiomyopathy have a family history of the disease. Some genetic
mutations have been linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Restrictive
cardiomyopathy. In this type, the heart muscle becomes
stiff and less flexible, so it cannot expand and fill with blood between
heartbeats. This least common type of cardiomyopathy can occur at any age, but
it most often affects older people.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
can occur for no known reason (idiopathic), or it can by caused by a disease
elsewhere in the body that affects the heart, such as amyloidosis.
Arrhythmogenic right
ventricular dysplasia. In this rare type of
cardiomyopathy, the muscle in the lower right heart chamber (right ventricle)
is replaced by scar tissue, which can lead to heart rhythm problems. It is
often caused by genetic mutations.
Unclassified
cardiomyopathy. Other types of cardiomyopathies fall into
this category.
Risk factors
There are a number of things
that can increase your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
Family history of
cardiomyopathy, heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest
Long-term high blood
pressure
Conditions that affect the
heart, including a past heart attack, coronary artery disease or an infection
in the heart (ischemic cardiomyopathy)
Obesity, which makes the
heart work harder
Long-term alcohol misuse
Illicit drug use, such as
cocaine, amphetamines, and anabolic steroids
Treatment with certain
chemotherapy drugs and radiation for cancer
Many diseases also raise
your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
Diabetes
Thyroid disease
Storage of excess iron in
the body (hemochromatosis)
Amyloidosis
Sarcoidosis
Connective tissue disorders
Complications
An enlarged heart
Cardiomyopathy can lead to
serious complications, including:
Heart failure.
Your heart cannot pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. Untreated, heart
failure can be life-threatening.
Blood clots.
Because your heart cannot pump effectively, blood clots might form in your
heart. If clots enter your bloodstream, they can block the blood flow to other
organs, including your heart and brain.
Heart valve problems.
Because cardiomyopathy causes the heart to enlarge, the heart valves might not
close properly. This can cause blood to flow backward in the valve.
Cardiac arrest and
sudden death. Cardiomyopathy can trigger abnormal heart
rhythms that cause fainting or, in some cases, sudden death if your heart stops
beating effectively.
In many cases, you cannot
prevent cardiomyopathy. Let your doctor know if you have a family history of
the condition.
You can help reduce your
risk of cardiomyopathy and other types of heart disease by living a
heart-healthy lifestyle and making lifestyle choices such as:
Avoiding the use of alcohol
or cocaine
Controlling high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes
Eating a healthy diet
Getting regular exercise
Getting enough sleep
Reducing your stress
Many patients suggest to
their physicians that the quality of their interactions, our mindfulness and
the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they have never
experienced.
Cardiomyopathy is a medical
term for a number of genetic and nongenetic diseases involving the heart muscle
that adversely affect the heart's mechanical pumping function and its
electrical system. It can occur in people of all ages, races, or genders, and it
is a frequent cause of sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death.
Jan Rick Jennings, MHA,
LFACHE
Senior Consultant
Senior Management
Resources, LLC
412.913.0636 Cell
724.733.0509 Office
January 26, 2022
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