Cardiomyopathy
On this page, you will find everything you are looking for regarding cardiomyopathy.
What is Cardiomyopathy?
Cardiomyopathy occurs when the chambers of the heart muscle become rigid, enlarged, or thickened, affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood to the body.
- The types ofHypertrophic Cardiomyopathycardiomyopathy include:
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: This is the most common type of hereditary heart disease. It occursDilated Cardiomyopathywhen the heart muscle thickens, reducing the flow of blood to the body.
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy: This happens when the heart muscle expands and its thickness decreases, causing the heart toRestrictive Cardiomyopathyenlarge, which makes it difficult for the heart to contract and pump blood to the body.
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy: This occurs when the walls of the heart muscle stiffen, making it difficult for the heart to relaxArrhythmogenic Right Ventricularafter contracting. This means the heart cannot fill with enough blood, leading to decreased blood flow from the heart.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: In this condition, the proteins in the heart muscle are abnormal, making the walls of the heart muscle thin and expanded, which makes it difficult to pump blood to the body correctly.
What are the Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy?
- Symptoms may not appear in patients, especially children or adolescents. However, signs may manifest as the disease progresses, such as:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Chestpain.
- Palpitations or irregular heart rhythms..
- Fatigue.
- Dizziness and fainting.
Swelling in the ankles, legs, or abdomen.
- In children, symptoms may include:.
- Vomiting..
- Diarrhea.
Swelling in the limbs and abdomen.
What Causes Cardiomyopathy?
- The cause depends on the type of cardiomyopathy, but often the main cause is not clear. However, there are factors that can increase the risk of developing it:
- Family medical history.
- Some diseases,such as:
- Myocarditis.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Cardiovasculardiseases.
- Thyroid disorders, diabetes,or obesity.
- Muscle problems like muscular dystrophy.
- Heart valve problems.
- Complicated during pregnancy.
- Genetic changes.
Drug or alcohol addiction.
How is Cardiomyopathy Diagnosed?:
- The doctor takes a medical history and conducts a clinical examination, and may request additional procedures as needed, such as:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Electrocardiogram (ECG).
- Echocardiogram.
- Heart rhythm monitoring.
- Chest X-ray.
- Stresstest.
- Procedures such as diagnostic catheterization.
- Genetictesting.).
Taking a heart muscle sample (biopsy).
What are the Methods of Treating Cardiomyopathy?
- Treatment depends on the type of cardiomyopathy and aims to slow disease progression and manage symptoms. In general, it may include:
- Taking certain medications.
- Following a healthy lifestyle.
Surgical procedures depending on the type of cardiomyopathy and the patient’s health condition.
How to Prevent Cardiomyopathy?
- You cannot prevent hereditary types of cardiomyopathy. However, steps can be taken to reduce the risk of complications from cardiomyopathy:
- Avoidsmoking..
- Avoid stress triggers.
- Stick to the medication prescribed by your doctor.
- Adhere to regular follow-ups with your doctor.
- Exercise according to the guidelines recommended by your doctor for your medical condition.
- Follow a healthy diet.
- Loseweight.
- Control chronic diseases if present, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Get sufficient sleep.
- What are the Complications of Cardiomyopathy?
- Heart failure.
- Valve problems.
- Irregular heartbeats and blood clots.
- Sudden cardiac arrest.
Myocarditis.
- When Should You See a Doctor?
- If you notice symptoms.
If you experience difficulty breathing or if symptoms persist for more than 3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cardiomyopathy be Completely Cured and Stopped?
