Information on Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a type of heart disease in which the heart becomes abnormally enlarged (enlarged heart), thickened and/or stiffened. As a result, the heart muscle’s ability to pump and/or receive blood is impaired. This condition is generally progressive and may lead to heart failure. Cardiomyopathies may be caused by a wide range of conditions, including chronic diseases, alcoholism, viral diseases, heart attacks and many others. An affected heart may grow larger either by dilatation, thickening (hypertrophy) or both. Additionally, the heart may suffer from a reduced ability to relax.

The heart muscle in people with restrictive cardiomyopathy becomes rigid and less elastic, meaning the heart can't properly expand and fill with blood between heartbeats. While restrictive cardiomyopathy can occur at any age, it most often tends to affect older people. It's the least common type of cardiomyopathy and can occur for no known reason (idiopathic). The condition may also be caused by diseases elsewhere in the body that affect the heart, such as amyloidosis, a rare condition in which abnormal proteins present in the blood are deposited into the heart.

Cardiomyopathy is a weakness in the muscle of the heart due to inadequate oxygen delivery to the myocardium with coronary artery disease being the most common cause. Anemia and sleep apnea are relatively common conditions that can contribute to ischemic myocardium and hyperthyroidism can cause a 'relative' ischemia secondary to high output heart failure. Individuals with ischemic cardiomyopathy typically have a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), although longstanding ischemia can cause enough damage to the myocardium to precipitate a clinically significant cardiomyopathy even in the absence of myocardial infarction. In a typical presentation, the area of the heart affected by a myocardial infarction will initially become necrotic as it dies, and will then be replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis).

Cardiomyopathy is disease of the heart muscle. In most cases, cardiomyopathy causes the heart muscle to become weak. Various medical disorders cause various types of cardiomyopathy, but all types of cardiomyopathy ultimately do the same thing – they reduce the efficient functioning of the heart muscle, and diminish the ability of the heart to meet the needs of the body. When the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body, heart failure is said to be present.

Cardiomyopathy is the loss or weakening of heart muscle tissue caused by ischemia or silent ischemia. The ischemia usually results from coronary artery disease and heart attacks. Treatment for ischemic cardiomyopathy is similar to that for other forms of cardiomyopathy, with special attention given to treating coronary artery disease. For patients whose hearts have been seriously damaged by ischemic cardiomyopathy, doctors may recommend that a heart transplant be considered.

Cardiomyopathy (KAR-de-o-mi-OP-a-the) refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases have a variety of causes, symptoms, and treatments. In cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes enlarged or abnormally thick or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue.

When cardiomyopathy results in a significantly enlarged heart, the mitral and tricuspid valves may not be able to close properly, resulting in murmurs. Blood pressure may increase because of increased sympathetic nerve activity. These nerves can also cause arteries to narrow. This mimics hypertensive heart disease (high blood pressure). That's why some people have high blood pressure readings. Because the blood pressure determines the heart's workload and oxygen needs, one treatment approach is to use vasodilators (drugs that "relax" the arteries). They lower blood pressure and thus the left ventricle's workload.

Information on Cardiomyopathy –