Cardiomyopathy: Types | Symptoms | Causes

Understanding Cardiomyopathy

Enlargement of the heart muscles is known as cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy refers to a group of conditions that affect the ability of the heart muscles to pump blood efficiently.

The human heart consists of four chambers—two atria and two ventricles. The atria receive blood, and the ventricles pump blood out of the heart. These chambers are made of a special type of muscle called cardiac muscle. Cardiomyopathy can change the size and shape of the heart muscles, leading to various complications.

Types of Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy can involve stiffening, thickening, or stretching of the cardiac muscles. The main types of cardiomyopathy are:

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

This condition occurs when the heart muscles become thin and stretched, making them weak and unable to pump blood adequately. It is the most common form of cardiomyopathy. Weakness in the heart muscles can lead to heart failure.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

This inherited form of cardiomyopathy involves the thickening of heart muscles, restricting blood flow through and from the heart. The thickened walls reduce the heart’s capacity to hold blood, and this type often goes undiagnosed. It is a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young people.

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia

This rare form of cardiomyopathy occurs when the muscle tissue of the ventricles is replaced by fatty and fibrous tissue. This condition can lead to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. It is caused by genetic mutations affecting the proteins that produce cardiac cells.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

In this type, the walls of the ventricles stiffen and cannot relax properly, affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood. It is the least common form of cardiomyopathy, and its cause is often unknown, though it can result from scarring after a heart transplant or may be inherited.

Other types include stress cardiomyopathy, secondary cardiomyopathy, and ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy

Since cardiomyopathy affects the heart’s ability to pump blood, it can lead to symptoms such as:

• Breathlessness
• Fatigue
• Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia)
• Chest pain
• Dizziness and fainting
• Low exercise tolerance
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Swelling in the legs and feet
• Fluid buildup in the abdomen
• Persistent coughing, especially when lying down

Treatment of Cardiomyopathy

Diagnosis of cardiomyopathy includes a thorough physical examination, electrocardiography (ECG), blood tests, genetic testing, and echocardiography.

Treatment approaches may include:

• Lifestyle changes such as a low-sodium diet, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol intake
• Medications to manage high blood pressure, swelling, chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms, and heart failure
• Surgical procedures to remove thickened heart muscle
• Pacemaker or defibrillator implantation
• Heart transplant (in severe cases)

Who Is at Risk for Cardiomyopathy?

Family history and genetic factors are significant risk factors for developing cardiomyopathy. Other factors include:

• Severe obesity
• Alcohol dependence
• Sarcoidosis
• Chronic high blood pressure
• Heart attack
• HIV/AIDS

Cardiomyopathy can be life-threatening, but it often goes undiagnosed. Awareness of your family history and regular heart check-ups can help detect this condition early and start appropriate treatment.