Cardiomyopathy is the term for any disease of the heart muscle that interferes with the heart’s ability to pump blood. There are several forms of it: Dilated (or congestive) cardiomyopathy is weakness in the walls of the heart that causes them to balloon out, compromising the heart’s efficiency and increasing the risk of congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and the formation of blood clots (which may cause heart attacks or strokes). Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, overgrowth or thickening of heart muscle, may compromise blood flow through the heart. Restrictive cardiomyopathy involves loss of elasticity of the heart walls that prevents the heart from adequately filling with blood prior to contracting.
Except when caused by viral infections, cardiomyopathy develops slowly and may produce no symptoms until the later stages. The disorder accounts for only 1 percent of heart disease fatalities in the United States. It is one of the more common causes of serious heart disease in younger people.
WHAT CAUSES CARDIOMYOPATHY?
- In many cases of cardiomyopathy, the cause is unknown.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy appears to run in families.
- Viral infections of the heart cause inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) and may result in permanent damage to the muscle.
- Excess consumption of alcohol may be toxic to the heart muscle over time.
- Nutritional deficiencies (such as lack of thiamine) and hormone imbalances may damage and weaken the heart muscle.
- Amyloidosis, a disorder in which the walls of the heart are infiltrated by a waxy substance, may cause restrictive cardiomyopathy.
- The risk of developing cardiomyopathy increases with smoking, obesity, or hypertension.
- Advanced coronary artery disease may be a cause.
SYMPTOMS OF CARDIOMYOPATHY
- Often there are no symptoms until the disease’s advanced stages. These may include the following:
- Shortness of breath, especially during exertion
- Swelling of the feet, ankles, or hands (edema)
- Fatigue
- Palpitations
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
- Wheezing and a dry cough, or a cough producing foamy, bloody phlegm
- Chest pain (may be mild)
- Stroke or painful and cold extremity due to a blood clot blocking a blood vessel
- Difficulty breathing, especially while lying down
- Abdominal bloating
PREVENTION OF CARDIOMYOPATHY
- To reduce the risk of heart disease, eat a well-balanced low-fat diet, exercise regularly, and lose weight if necessary. Limit yourself to no more than two alcoholic beverages each day, and don’t smoke.
DIAGNOSIS OF CARDIOMYOPATHY
- Chest x-rays may be taken.
- Your doctor may perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasonic waves to image the structure and the movements of the heart.
- A biopsy of heart muscle may be taken.
- A coronary angiography may be performed to evaluate narrowings of the coronary arteries. In this procedure a tiny catheter is inserted into an artery in a leg or arm and threaded up to the coronary arteries. A contrast material is then injected, which provides a clear image of the blood vessels on x-ray.
HOW TO TREAT CARDIOMYOPATHY
- Your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce heart muscle exertion, improve the heart’s pumping ability, regulate the heartbeat, and ease symptoms.
- Avoid strenuous physical activity.
- Abstain from alcohol and do not smoke.
- You doctor may also recommend that you eat less than 2,300 mg of salt or less per day. Sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease.
- Lose weight if you are obese or overweight.
- A heart transplant may be advised if the heart muscle has been badly damaged.
WHEN TO CALL A DOCTOR
- Symptoms of cardiomyopathy indicate late-stage disease, warranting prompt attention from a doctor.
Source:
Johns Hopkins Symptoms and Remedies: The Complete Home Medical Reference
Simeon Margolis, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Editor
Prepared by the Editors of The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50
Updated by Remedy Health Media
