Cardiomyopathy By: Sachelle Martin
Dec 14, 2015
Cardiomyopathy
By: Sachelle Martin
What is Cardiomyopathy ?
A disease in the heart muscle that makes it enlarged and more rigid than normal
In rare cases, scar tissue replaces the muscle tissue.
The 3 main types of Cardiomyopathy
Dilated Cardiomyopathy- a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - a condition in which the heart muscle becomes thick
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy- changes in and weakening of the heart muscle , which causes the heart to fill poorly, squeeze poorly , or both.
Causes of Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Alcohol and drug abuse
Abnormal heart rhythms
Autoimmune illnesses
Hereditary factors
Infections that involve the heart muscle
Heart valves that are too narrow or too leaky
Trace elements such as lead and mercury
Causes of hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy Usually inherited
A result of several heart defects within the genes that control the heart muscle growth
Causes of Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Most common cause is a build up of amyloid proteins in organs (amyloidosis )
Scarring of the heart from an unknown cause ( idiopathic myocardial fibrosis )
Carcinoid heart disease ( tumors in the heart)
Diseases of the heart lining ( endocardium )
Iron overload ( hemochromatosis )
Scarring after radiation or chemotherapy
Tumors of the heart
What are the symptoms ?
Cough
Difficulty breathing
Chest pain
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Swelling of feet and ankles
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Decreased alertness or concentration
How common is the disease ?
It can affect both children and adults.
Most common in middle-aged men.
About 2 in 10,000 people are affected by the disease every year.
What are the risk factors ?
Higher risk of sudden death
May need medicines or a defibrillator
Risk for deadly heart rhythms
May need a heart transplant
How is the disease diagnosed ?
Changes on the electrocardiogram
Changes on chest x-ray
An ultrasound scan of the heart , called an echocardiogram
What are some treatments ?
Blood thinning medications
Chemotherapy
Diuretics to remove fluids and help improve breathing
Heart bypass
Heart transplant
A pacemaker
Limiting sodium level consumed
An implanted defibrillator
Bibliography
Hare JM. “The dilated, restrictive, and infiltrative cardiomyopathies.” MedlinePlus. Eds. Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P . Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier. 4 June. 2012 . < www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000189.htm>
Maron BJ. “Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.” MedlinePlus. Eds. Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P . Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier. 4 June. 2012. <www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000192.htm>
Uknown. “Cardiomyopathy . “ MedlinePlus. 4 June. 2012. <www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cardiomyopathy.html>