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Heart muscle disorders, known as cardiomyopathies, are conditions that affect the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently. They can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, infections, inflammation, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Cardiomyopathies can lead to serious complications such as arrhythmias, heart failure, and even cardiac arrest. Treatments aim to slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life through lifestyle changes, medications, and implanted devices, but a cure is not always possible. Cardiomyopathies affect people of all ages, races, and sexes, and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to managing the condition effectively.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the disorder | Cardiomyopathy |
| Definition | Disease of the heart muscle |
| Impact | Affects the heart's ability to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body |
| Heart muscle condition | Becomes enlarged, thickened, rigid, or stiff |
| Symptoms | Fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats, heart failure, cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock |
| Risk factors | Family history, personal history of heart attacks, long-term substance use, high BMI, extreme stress, radiation or chemotherapy |
| Diagnosis | Medical history, physical exam, blood tests, chest X-ray, cardiac CT, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, myocardial biopsy |
| Treatment | Lifestyle changes, medications, implanted devices, therapy, surgery, heart transplant |
| Progression | Gets worse over time, treatments slow progression and improve quality of life |
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What You'll Learn
Cardiomyopathy types
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. There are several types of cardiomyopathies, which differ based on their cause and how they affect the heart's structure and function. Some types are rarer than others, and some are temporary and get better over time.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
This is a common type of cardiomyopathy that occurs when the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) become weakened and enlarged, and unable to pump blood effectively. This causes the heart to work harder.
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
A rare form of cardiomyopathy, causing the ventricles to stiffen and preventing them from relaxing and filling with enough blood to pump to the rest of the body. The heart walls do not thicken in this type. Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy is a form of restrictive cardiomyopathy that is more common in Black men.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
This type occurs when the heart muscle becomes larger and thicker than normal, blocking the ventricles and making it harder for the heart to pump blood. It is commonly inherited, and first-degree relatives are at risk and should be screened.
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
This rare but serious condition occurs during or after pregnancy, usually late in pregnancy or within a few months after giving birth.
Stress-induced Cardiomyopathy
Also known as broken heart syndrome, this type of cardiomyopathy usually follows acute emotional stress. It can also be caused by extreme physical stress, and it affects more women than men, especially after menopause. The condition typically resolves within 3 to 4 weeks with medicine.
Septic Cardiomyopathy
This type of cardiomyopathy develops in 1 to 7 out of every 10 people who get sepsis. It usually goes away within 10 days if the person recovers from sepsis.
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Cardiomyopathy causes
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that affects its ability to pump blood effectively. It can be categorised as inherited, acquired, or congenital.
Inherited cardiomyopathy is passed down from parents to their children due to gene mutations that affect the development of the heart. Hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies are often inherited. There is no way to prevent inherited cardiomyopathy, but working with a genetic counsellor can help manage the condition and lower the risk of serious health problems.
Acquired cardiomyopathy is developed due to another disease or condition, or lifestyle factors. Certain conditions, such as complex congenital heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, uncontrolled fast heart rhythms, or specific types of chemotherapy, can damage the heart and lead to acquired cardiomyopathy. Lifestyle factors that contribute to acquired cardiomyopathy include heavy alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, smoking, high stress levels, and a body mass index (BMI) higher than 30. Making heart-healthy lifestyle changes, such as improving diet, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, managing stress, and reducing alcohol intake, can help lower the risk of acquired cardiomyopathy.
Congenital cardiomyopathy is present at birth and may result from health conditions of the mother or developing baby that are not inherited. It can also occur due to congenital heart defects. In some cases, the specific cause of cardiomyopathy may be unknown.
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Cardiomyopathy symptoms
Cardiomyopathy refers to conditions that affect the heart muscle. It is a heart muscle disease that prevents the heart from functioning properly. Cardiomyopathy causes the heart to become enlarged, thickened, stiffened, or weakened, impairing its ability to pump blood efficiently throughout the body. This can lead to a range of symptoms, including:
Fatigue and Shortness of Breath: One of the most common symptoms of cardiomyopathy is shortness of breath, especially during physical exertion. Patients may experience difficulty breathing or feel tired and fatigued easily.
Swelling: Fluid buildup due to heart failure can cause swelling in various parts of the body, including the abdomen, hands, legs, feet, and veins in the neck.
Heart Palpitations and Arrhythmias: Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), or other heart rhythm abnormalities. These symptoms may indicate that the heart is not beating effectively or steadily.
Heart Failure: In severe cases, cardiomyopathy can progress to heart failure, where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Heart failure is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
It is important to note that some people with cardiomyopathy may not exhibit any signs or symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. However, as cardiomyopathy worsens, it can lead to other heart problems, including arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and cardiogenic shock. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to slow down the progression of the disease and improve quality of life.
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Cardiomyopathy risk factors
Cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease that affects the heart's ability to pump blood to the rest of the body efficiently. It can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations, and it tends to worsen over time. While anyone can develop cardiomyopathy, certain factors can increase the risk.
Age
The risk of developing cardiomyopathy varies with age. For instance, septic cardiomyopathy is more common in newborns, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is prevalent in teens and young adults, and dilated cardiomyopathy is frequently observed in adults aged 20 to 60.
Family History and Genetics
A family history of cardiomyopathy, heart failure, or sudden cardiac arrest increases an individual's risk of developing cardiomyopathy. Inherited cardiomyopathy cannot be prevented, but working with a genetic counsellor can help assess the risk of passing on the condition to children. Additionally, good pre-pregnancy and prenatal care can reduce the chances of babies being born with congenital cardiomyopathy.
Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions can increase the risk of cardiomyopathy. These include coronary heart disease, heart attack, infections that cause inflammation of the heart muscle, diabetes, obesity, metabolic disorders, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disease, muscular dystrophy, high cholesterol, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, and hemochromatosis.
Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle choices can also contribute to the risk of developing cardiomyopathy. Heavy alcohol consumption, long-term use of substances like cocaine, and extreme stress are associated with an increased risk. Making heart-healthy lifestyle changes, such as improving diet, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, managing stress, and getting quality sleep, can help lower the risk of cardiomyopathy.
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Cardiomyopathy treatments
Cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease that impairs the heart's ability to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. It can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. While there is no cure for cardiomyopathy, treatments are available to slow the progression of the disease, improve quality of life, and prevent serious complications such as cardiac arrest.
Treatment plans depend on the type and severity of cardiomyopathy, as well as the patient's needs and goals. Some patients with mild cases of cardiomyopathy may not require any treatment at all. For those who do, treatment options include medications, procedures, and devices.
Medications such as mavacamten can be prescribed to relax the heart muscle and reduce symptoms in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mavacamten may, however, increase the risk of heart failure and is therefore only suitable for patients with an ejection fraction of at least 55%.
Procedures such as septal ablation can be used to shrink the septum, the muscle dividing the left and right lower chambers of the heart. This can be done surgically or through cardiac catheterization, where catheters are inserted into the blood vessels and guided to the heart. Cardiac catheterization is also being explored as a less invasive alternative to surgical myectomy, where a portion of the thickened heart muscle is cut away to relieve obstruction to blood flow.
In cases where other treatments have failed and the patient is experiencing life-threatening symptoms, a heart transplant may be necessary. This involves replacing the diseased heart with a healthy heart from a deceased donor, improving quality of life and prolonging lifespan.
Lifestyle changes can also help to strengthen the heart and slow the progression of cardiomyopathy. These include eating a low-fat and low-salt diet, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and reducing alcohol consumption.
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Frequently asked questions
A heart muscle disorder is called cardiomyopathy. It is a disease that affects the heart muscle, making it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Symptoms of a heart muscle disorder include fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and irregular heartbeats. In some cases, cardiomyopathy may present with no symptoms at all.
Cardiomyopathy can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, other medical conditions, unhealthy lifestyle factors, extreme stress, infections, and inflammation of the heart tissue.
Treatment for cardiomyopathy includes medications, lifestyle changes, implanted devices, and therapy to lower stress. While there is no cure for cardiomyopathy, treatment can help manage symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.
