Cardiomyopathy: Difference between revisions

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Cardiomyopathy is the deterioration of the cardiac muscle of the heart wall.

It has a number of causes including drug and alcohol toxicity, certain infections, and various genetic and idiopathic (i.e. unknown) causes. It can lead to heart failure as the pumping efficiency of the heart is diminished. People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden cardiac death.

There are four main types of cardiomyopathy:

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM or HOCM)
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM)

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the commonest form of cardiomyopathy, and one of the leading indications for heart transplantation. In DCM the heart (especially the left ventricle) is enlarged and weakened. Approximately 40% of cases are familial, but the genetics are poorly understood compared with HCM.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disorder caused by various mutations in genes encoding sarcomeresarcomeric proteins. In HCM the heart muscle is thickened, which can obstruct blood flow and prevent the heart from functioning properly.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) arises from an electrical disturbance of the heart in which heart muscle is replaced by fibrous scar tissue. The right ventricle is generally most affected.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is the least common cardiomyopathy. The walls of the ventricles are stiff, but may not be thickened, and resist the normal filling of the heart with blood.

External link

http://www.cardiomyopathy.org (The Cardiomyopathy Association)

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 '''Cardiomyopathy''' is the deterioration of the [[cardiac muscle]] of the [[heart]] wall.
-It has a number of causes including [[drug]] and [[ethanol|alcohol]] toxicity, certain [[infection]]s, and various [[genetics|genetic]] and [[idiopathic]] (i.e. unknown) causes. It can lead to [[heart failure]] as the pumping efficiency of the heart is diminished.
+It has a number of causes including [[drug]] and [[ethanol|alcohol]] toxicity, certain [[infection]]s, and various [[genetics|genetic]] and [[idiopathic]] (i.e. unknown) causes. It can lead to [[heart failure]] as the pumping efficiency of the heart is diminished. People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of [[arrhythmia]] and/or [[sudden cardiac death]].
 There are four main types of cardiomyopathy:
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 * [[Restrictive cardiomyopathy]] (RCM)
-[[Dilated cardiomyopathy]] (DCM) is the commonest form of cardiomyopathy, and the leading indication for heart transplantation. Approximately 40% of cases are familial, but the [[genetics]] are poorly understood compared with HCM. In DCM the heart (especially the [[left ventricle]]) is enlarged and weakened.
+[[Dilated cardiomyopathy]] (DCM) is the commonest form of cardiomyopathy, and one of the leading indications for [[heart transplantation]]. In DCM the heart (especially the [[left ventricle]]) is enlarged and weakened. Approximately 40% of cases are familial, but the [[genetics]] are poorly understood compared with HCM.
-[[Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]] (HCM) is a [[genetic disorder]] caused by various [[mutation]]s in 10 genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. However, these mutations only partially account for the variability in [[left ventricle|left ventricular]] [[hypertrophy]] (LVH) and other phenotypic features of the disease. It has been suggested that in patients with HCM, the final phenotype, including LVH, is the product of the causal mutation in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins, modifier genes and environmental factors.
+[[Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]] (HCM) is a [[genetic disorder]] caused by various [[mutation]]s in genes encoding [[sarcomeresarcomeric]] proteins. In HCM the heart muscle is thickened, which can obstruct blood flow and prevent the heart from functioning properly.
 [[Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy]] (ARVC) arises from an electrical disturbance of the heart in which heart muscle is replaced by fibrous scar tissue. The [[right ventricle]] is generally most affected.