 CART FREE HEALTHBEAT SIGNUP SHOP ▼ SIGN IN

Pay My Bill »
What can we help you nd? 
HEART MIND & PAIN STAYING CANCER DISEASES & MEN'S WOMEN'S LICENSING
HEALTH MOOD HEALTHY CONDITIONS HEALTH HEALTH

Cardiomyopathy: Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Published: December, 2014

Any heart disease in which the heart muscle (myocardium) weakens can be known as cardiomyopathy. This broad term covers many conditions,
all of which result in injury to the heart muscle and impaired heart function. Cardiomyopathy often leads to heart failure.

In some forms of cardiomyopathy, the weakened heart muscle becomes thinned; in other forms it becomes abnormally thickened. In both cases,
the ventricles of the heart have trouble pumping blood as e ectively as they should. Blood can stagnate in the heart, making it more likely to
form clots. If a clot breaks free and enters the circulation, it can cause a stroke if it lodges in an artery that nourishes the brain, or a pulmonary
embolism if it lodges in an artery to the lungs.

The beleaguered heart muscle can also become prone to potentially dangerous abnormal heart rhythms.

Cardiomyopathy can be caused by:

myocarditis, an in ammation of the heart muscle, often due to a viral infection or a chronic in ammatory condition such as lupus.
coronary artery disease, the accumulation of cholesterol- lled plaque in the arteries that nourish the heart. It can weaken the heart muscle by
reducing blood ow to much of the heart.
drinking too much alcohol (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) can result from a lifetime of binge drinking or the cumulative e ects of daily heavy
drinking.

invasion of heart muscle by abnormal cells or other material (restrictive cardiomyopathy).

an inherited condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which causes a thickening of the heart muscle, especially the wall between the
two ventricles. In severe cases, the extra muscle obstructs the passage of blood out of the heart and may cause fainting or even sudden
death. This disease usually occurs before the age of 40 and can a ect children as young as age 10. It has been responsible for the deaths of
several young athletes.

Symptoms of cardiomyopathy
In its earlier stages, cardiomyopathy may cause no symptoms. It may be discovered by accident, for example when a chest x-ray performed to
diagnose another condition shows an enlarged heart.

Common cardiomyopathy symptoms include:

unexplained fatigue
weakness
breathlessness with even mild exertion or when lying down
palpitations
light-headedness
fainting
chest pain

Diagnosing cardiomyopathy
The diagnosis of cardiomyopathy is often clear from an individual's descriptions of his or her
symptoms, the results of a physical examination, and the results of a chest x-ray, echocardiogram,
and electrocardiogram.
Occasionally, a test called an endomyocardial biopsy is necessary. In this test, a catheter is inserted into a vein in the neck and passed down into
the heart. A small piece of the inner heart wall is removed using a tiny metal device at the tip of the catheter. The sample of heart tissue is then
examined under the microscope.

Treating cardiomyopathy
There are treatments for all forms of cardiomyopathy, including the two most common causes of symptoms: heart failure and abnormal heart
rhythms.

People who have alcoholic cardiomyopathy seem to be particularly sensitive to the e ects of alcohol; giving up drinking alcohol is the most
important step in treating the condition. After that, the symptoms of heart failure can be controlled with drugs and dietary changes.

Treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can help control symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath. More importantly, it can decrease the
risk for sudden cardiac death. Usually this requires taking a beta blocker or calcium channel blocker. A medication to prevent abnormal heart
rhythms may also be needed. It's also important to avoid strenuous exercise because it can trigger an abnormal heart rhythm that can cause
sudden cardiac death.

Some individuals with cardiomyopathy bene t from the placement of a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-de brillator to maintain a steady
heart rhythm.

Share this page:  Print this page: 

Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review on all
articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other quali ed
clinician.

Sign up for HEALTHbeat Digital Subscriptions Special Health Reports Print Subscriptions Customer Service About Us Permissions

Do Not Sell My Personal Information Privacy Policy


© 2010 - 2020 Harvard University. All rights reserved.