Cardiomyopathy
Concept and Etiology: Cardiomyopathy is a cardiovascular disease
that effects the muscle of a heart. It causes weakness in the heart
muscle making it difficult for blood to be pumped throughout the
body. There are three main types of cardiomyopathies they are
dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy
(Cardiomyopathy, 2021). Dilated cardiomyopathy the left ventricle
becomes enlarged/dilated and reduces the effectiveness of how the
heart pumps. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is caused by a thickening
in the heart muscle causing the heart to work harder at pumping.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a result of the heart becoming stiff and
unable to fully expand restricting blood flow within the heart.
(Cardiomyopathy, 2021)
Cardiomyopathy deviates from the definition of health because if
your heart is not pumping effectively, you are not going to feel well.
It will also take a toll on your mental health as well.
Classification:
Cardiomyopathies are classified in two categories: Primary
cardiomyopathies and secondary cardiomyopathies. Genetic, mixed,
and acquired cardiomyopathies are all considered Primary
cardiomyopathy. Genetic cardiomyopathies include hypertrophic,
conduction abnormalities, and QT syndromes. Mixed include dilated
and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Lastly, acquired cardiomyopathy
include stress cardiomyopathy or tako-tsubo. (McCartan & Mason,
2012)
Secondary cardiomyopathies are Infiltrative, storage, toxicity, and
inflammatory. Infiltrative include amyloidosis, and Gaucher disease.
Storage cardiomyopathies include haemochromatosis, and Fabry’s
disease. Toxicity cardiomyopathies are cause by drugs, alcohol,
chemicals, or chemotherapy. (McCartan & Mason, 2012)
Clinical Manifestations (Symptoms and Signs):
Signs of cardiomyopathy include sinus tachycardia, lower extremity
edema, distended neck veins, hepatomegaly (ascites), pulmonary
congestion. Symptoms of cardiomyopathy are
fatigue, exercise
intolerance, anorexia, angina pectoris, symptoms of a
thromboembolism, shortness of breath, and the inability to lay
sleeping down. (Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, n.d.)
Diagnostic Tests:
Aside from your typical blood tests, they may perform genetic blood
tests. They may also perform cardiac MRI and CT. Some other test
they may perform are a heart catherization, stress test,
electrocardiogram, and echocardiograms. (Cardiomyopathy, 2021)
References
Cardiomyopathy. (2021, April 9). Retrieved from Mayo Clinic:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cardiomyopathy/sy
mptoms-causes/syc-20370709
McCartan, C., & Mason, R. ,. (2012, August 8). Cardiomyopathy
Classification: Ongoing Debate in the Genomics Era. doi:
10.1155/2012/796926
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. (n.d.). Retrieved from
encyclopedia.lubopitko-bg.com: https://encyclopedia.lubopitko-
bg.com/restrictive_cardiomyopathy.html
