What is Cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy literally means "heart muscle disease" (Myo= muscle, pathy= disease) It is the deterioration of the function of the myocardium (i.e., the actual heart muscle) for any reason. People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia and/or Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Little known Stats:

1,200 people die each day from Sudden Cardiac arrest
450,000 people die each year from Sudden Cardiac Arrest
7,000-10,000 kids a year die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest
42 people die every hour from Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Click on the below link to check out a prediction posted by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation:

Gene Variant May Predict Sudden Cardiac Death Risk for Blacks | Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation

Click on the below Wall Street Journal article about a device called a capnograph. A capnograph can be used in rescuing victims of sudden cardiac arrest by measuring levels of carbon dioxide in millimeters of mercury.

WSJ.com - 96 Minutes Without a Heartbeat

Cardiomyopathy is a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. In most cases, the causes of Cardiomyopathy are unknown. However, doctors are able to identify conditions that may cause or contribute to Cardiomyopathy. Those conditions include: sustained high blood pressure, pregnancy, excessive use of alcohol over the years, abuse of cocaine or antidepressant medication, and certain viral infections.

There are three main types of Cardiomyopathy - Dilated, Hypertrophy Cardiomyopathy and Restrictive.

Dilated

This is the most common form. In it, the heart cavity is enlarged and stretched. The heart is weak and doesn't pump normally, and most patients develop congestive heart failure. Abnormal rhythms called arrhythmias and distrubances in the heart's electrical conduction also may occur. Blood flows more slowly through an enlarged heart, so blood clots easily form.

Hemochromatosis is a disorder in which your body doesn’t properly metabolize iron, causing it to build up carious organs, including your heart muscle. This can lead to a weakening of the heart muscle, resulting in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy Treatment
There may be anti-clotting drug therapy and antiarrhythmic drugs needed.

Hypertrophy Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

In one form of the disease, the wall between the two ventricles becomes enlarged and obstructs the blood flow from the left ventricle. In the other form of the disease, non-obstructive HCM, the enlarged muscle doesn't obstruct blood flow. It's considered a genetic disease that affects about one in 500 people
Symptoms: shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, and chest pain. Some abnormal heart rhythm cases can lead to sudden death. In most cases, there are no symptoms.

HCM Treatment
The usual treatment involves taking a drug known as beta blocker, or calcium channel blocker. In some cases an ICD (Implantable Cardioveter Defibrillator).

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

This is the least common type in the US. The heart muscle of the ventricle becomes excessively "rigid", so it's harder for the ventricles to fill with blood between heartbeats. A person with restrictive cardiomyopathy often complains of being tired, may have swollen hands and feet, and may have difficulty breathing on exertion.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Treatment
Treatment of restrictive cardiomyopathy is difficult. Treatment is usually focused on treating the cause of this condition. Doctors recommend lifestyle changes and medications to treat heart failure.

What are the symptoms of Cardiomyopathy?

Some people who develop cardiomyopathy may have no signs and symptoms in the early stages of the disease. But as the condition advances, signs and symptoms usually appear. Signs and symptoms may include:

Breathlessness with exertion or even while resting
Swelling of the legs, ankle and feet
Bloating of the abdomen with fluid
Fatigue
Irregular heartbeats that feel rapid, fluttering or pounding
Dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting

No matter what type of cardiomyopathy you have, signs and symptoms tend to get worse unless treated. In certain people, this worsening happens quickly; while in others, the disease may not worsen for a long time.

What are the causes of Cardiomyopathy?

Most of the time, the cause of the cardiomyopathy are unknown. However, in some people, doctors are able to identify some contributing factors. Possible causes of cardiomyopathy include:

Long-term high blood pressure
Heart valve problems
Heart tissue damage from a previous heart attack
Chronic rapid heart rate
Metabolic disorders, such as thyroid disease or diabetes
Nutritional deficiencies of essential vitamins or minerals, such as thiamin (vitamin B-1), selenium, calcium and magnesium
Pregnancy
Excessive use of alcohol over many years
Abuse of cocaine or antidepressant medications, such as tricyclic antidepressants
Use of some chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer
Certain viral infections, which may injure the heart and trigger cardiomyopathy

What tests are invloved to determine or confirm a diagnosis of Cardiomyopathy?

Your doctor will conduct a physical examination, take a personal and family medical history, and also ask when did your symptoms occur (ex. – for example, whether exercise brings on your symptoms. If your doctor thinks you have cardiomyopathy, you may need to undergo several tests to confirm the diagnosis. These tests may include:

Chest X-Rays: An image of your heart will show whether or not it’s enlarged
Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of the heart. Your doctor can use these images to examine the size of your heart and its motions as it beats.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): In this non-invasive test, electrode patches are attached to your skin to measure electrical impulses from your heart. An ECG can show disturbance in the electrical activity of your heart, which can detect abnormal heart rhythms and areas of injury.
Cardiac Catheterization and biopsy: In this procedure, a thin tube (catheter) is inserted in the groin and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart, where a small sample (biopsy) of your heart can be extracted for analysis in the laboratory. Pressure within the chambers of your heart can be measured to see how forcefully blood pumps through your heart. Pictures of the arteries of the heart can be taken during the procedure (coronary angiogram) to ensure that you do not have any blockage.
Blood Tests: One blood test can measure brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a protein produced in your heart. Your blood level of BNP rises when your heart is subject to the stress of heart failure, a common complication of cardiomyopathy.

Picture above of a normal heart. Picture above of a heart with HCM.