Cardiomyopathy

General Information on Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is an inflammatory disorder of the heart muscle. Damage to the heart muscle causes the heart to weaken and not be able to pump enough blood throughout the body. Furthermore, blood flows through and fills an enlarge heart more slowly than a normal sized heart. This may dramatically increase the risk of blood clots. There are a variety of causes for different types of cardiomyopathy. In some cases, no cause is found. Primary causes include, viral infection of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, high triglyceride level in blood, high blood pressure, alcoholism, obesity, smoking, stress, sedentary living (lack of physical activity), congenital heart disease, family history of heart disease, and certain infections such as sarcoidosis and amyloidosis). Additionally, heart surgery has been known to increase the risk of cardiomyopathy. The condition is most common in males.

Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy

If heart function decreases dramatically, organ functions, the lungs, liver, and circulatory system may be affected. If the condition is severe enough to cause heart failure, certain symptoms may include:

Shortness of breath
Rapid heartbeat
Abnormal heartbeat
Cough
Fatigue
Weakness
Swollen legs, feet, or ankles
Loss of appetite
Water retention (weight gain may accompany)
Chest pain
Dizziness
Fainting

Treatments For Cardiomyopathy

After your doctor has performed a physical examination and asked questions about your symptoms and activities, additional medical tests commonly include heart function tests (EKG, ECG, etc...), blood tests, and chest x-rays. A biopsy of the heart tissue may be obtained for further study.

The primary aim of treatment is to relieve the severity of symptoms and to avoid complications. Primary treatment measures will include a variety of lifestyle changes, drug therapy, and in some cases surgery. Medications are similar to those used to treat congestive heart failure, and will generally aim towards improving heart function, regulating blood pressure, slowing heart rate, to rid the body of excessive fluid retention, suppress immune system, or relax blood vessels. Typical lifestyle changes may include quitting smoking or alcohol usage, dietary changes, weight loss, and limiting physical activity.

If cardiomyopathy is severe, surgery may involve the installation of a pacemaker or the removal of part of the thickened heart wall. Heart valve replacement is also sometimes necessary. Finally, if other treatments fail, a heart transplant may be recommended.

In many cases, treatment will help alleviate symptoms and prevent further damage to the heart. However, the heart may be damaged beyond reversal. If this is the cases, a heart transplant is usually recommended as the condition progresses. Outcomes and successful treatment vary depending on the severity of the disease, the health of the patient, and the individual responses to surgery, medication, and other treatment techniques. If you are experiencing symptoms similar to those listed above, contact your doctor for further examination.

Personal Experience

Cardiomyopathy - personal experiences