Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy causes the heart muscle to thicken, stiffen, or thin out, reducing the heart’s ability to pump blood. The condition can also cause the heart to enlarge to an abnormal size. 

Cardiomyopathy can also cause blood to collect in the lungs and other forms of internal bleeding. Both these cases are critical and need immediate medical intervention. 

Cardiomyopathy worsens over time and weakens your heart, causing fatigue, shortness of breath, and pressure in the chest. However, with treatment, its progression can be slowed and help you improve the quality of your life. 

In severe cases, cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.

Cardiomyopathy does not create any obvious symptoms during its early stages. Symptoms generally tend to manifest as the disease progresses. Symptoms can include:

• Breathlessness after physical activity or even when at rest
• Swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet
• Bloating of the abdomen due to fluid buildup
• Difficulty in sleeping while lying flat (due to coughing)
• Fatigue
• Irregular heartbeats and heart palpitations (rapid, pounding, or fluttering heartbeat)
• Chest discomfort or pressure
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting

Although medical research has shown no direct cause for cardiomyopathy, it has been known to run in families. It is therefore considered an inherited condition. 

The risk for cardiomyopathy also increases if you have certain other conditions. Causes can include the following:

• A family history of cardiomyopathy.
• Autoimmune diseases, such as connective tissue diseases.
• Coronary heart disease or a heart attack.
• Conditions such as high cholesterol, which can damage the heart.
• Endocrine disorders, such as diabetes and thyroid problems.
• Infections in the heart muscle.
• History of long-term alcohol or drug use.
• Muscle conditions (muscular dystrophy).
• Pregnancy.

The most common types of cardiomyopathy include the following.

Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart’s left ventricle enlarges and is weakened. The condition impacts the heart’s ability to pump blood. As the condition worsens over time, it can also affect the other chambers of the heart. 

Dilated cardiomyopathy is seen more often in males and is the most common form of cardiomyopathy in children. It can occur at any age and may or may not be inherited. 

If anyone in your family was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, ask your doctor if you should be screened for it. Treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy usually focuses on strengthening the heart and eliminating any substances in the blood that cause the heart to be engorged.

If you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the ventricles of your heart will thicken and become stiff. This phenomenon is referred to as hypertrophying. Additionally, there may be changes to the ventricle at a cellular level, and the mitral valve can develop a leak, causing blood to flow back into the atrium.

These issues hamper the ventricle’s ability to fill with enough blood, so there is less oxygen-rich blood supply to the rest of your body. Most people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may not have symptoms until the condition progresses to a more severe state. 

The condition often develops in childhood or early adulthood and can be life-threatening for adolescents and young adult athletes. It is often an inherited condition.

If there is a family history of the condition, all family members should get tested and adjust their activities to reduce the risk of life-threatening complications. 

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common form of cardiomyopathy found in the US. Nearly 1 in 500 people have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. 

Treatment will depend on the condition of your heart. Your doctor will diagnose the extent of the condition and recommend treatment based on your age, activity levels, and whether you have a heart arrhythmia.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is a relatively rare form of cardiomyopathy, which causes your heart to beat with an irregular rhythm. 

With this condition, fibrous tissue replaces damaged heart muscle in the right or left ventricle, weakening its ability to pump blood. Furthermore, the fibrous tissue can block the heart’s electrical signals and cause heart arrhythmia.

This is often an inherited condition, more common in males, and is likely to be caused by a genetic mutation.

Although there is no cure for arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, treatment usually focuses on managing your arrhythmia and preventing blood clots and heart failure. 

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that causes the muscles in the heart’s ventricles (lower chambers) to become rigid, scarred or both. It results in weakening the heart’s ability to pump blood. 

Symptoms of restrictive cardiomyopathy can include bloating and nausea, edema in your feet, chest pain, and heart palpitations.

You may develop restrictive cardiomyopathy after chemotherapy or radiation therapy. You also have an increased risk of having restrictive cardiomyopathy if you have hemochromatosis (excess iron), amyloidosis (mutated bone marrow plasma), or conditions.

Treatment for restrictive cardiomyopathy can range from medication for irregular heartbeat and amyloidosis to heart transplant surgery in critical cases.

Since people rarely have clear symptoms for it, knowing if you are at risk for cardiomyopathy is the first step in the diagnosis process. During your cardiology consultation at Sydnor Cardiovascular Center, Dr. Lilian Ahiable will ask for your and your family’s medical history to assess your risk for cardiomyopathy. 

This may be followed by a physical examination and diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, or stress tests. 

Treatment for cardiomyopathy depends on the type of condition you have, the severity of your symptoms, age, and overall health. 

A treatment plan for cardiomyopathy usually focuses on stemming the progression of the condition, managing any underlying disease(s), reducing the possibility of sudden cardiac arrest, and managing symptoms so you can live a comfortable life.

Treatment options can include:

• Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress, avoiding alcohol (and other drugs), and treating conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Medication to lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots, remove excess fluid or sodium from your body, slow your heart rate, balance the electrolytes (potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium) in your body, and reduce inflammation.

Surgical procedures, such as implanting a pacemaker or even a heart transplant, may be needed in some cases to prevent life-threatening complications.

If your family has a history of cardiomyopathy, it is vital to know if you may have inherited the condition. Alternatively, if you’re experiencing any symptoms of cardiomyopathy, call Sydnor Cardiovascular Center to schedule a cardiac consultation with Dr. Lilian Ahiable.

At Sydnor Cardiovascular Center, we provide expert care for people with all types of cardiomyopathy. Entrust your heart health with Dr. Ahiable and the team at Sydnor Cardiovascular Center.

To schedule an appointment, call us at 727-300-2282 or request an appointment online.