Dilated Cardiomyopathy, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

This book describes Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related DiseasesCardiomyopathy is the medical disease of the thickened or dilated heart muscle. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disorder in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged or has another structural disorder as the cardiomyopathy becomes worse. As a result, the heart cannot pump adequate blood to the rest of the body.
There are many types of cardiomyopathy.1. Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most frequent type.2. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy3. Restrictive cardiomyopathy4. Others -refer causesCausesThe most frequent causes of dilated cardiomyopathy are:1. Heart disease produced by a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries2. Poorly regulated high blood pressureThere are many other causes of dilated cardiomyopathy, such as:1.
Alcohol or cocaine abuse2. Diabetes, thyroid disease, or hepatitis3. Medicines that can be toxic to the heart, such as drugs used to treat cancer4. Abnormal heart rhythms that cause the heart to beat very fast for a long duration of time5. Autoimmune illnesses6. Disorders that run in families7. Infections that involve the heart muscle8. Heart valves that are either too narrow or too leaky9. During the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months after the baby is born.10.
Exposure to heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cobalt, or mercurySymptomsThe symptoms of heart failure are most frequent. Frequent symptoms are:1. Chest pain or pressure (more probably with exercise)2. Cough3. Fatigue, weakness, faintness4. Irregular or rapid pulse5. Loss of appetite6. Shortness of breath with activity or after lying down (or being asleep) for a while7. Swelling of feet and anklesDiagnosisDuring the medical examination, the doctor may find:1.
The heart is enlarged.2. Lung crackles (a sign of fluid buildup), heart murmur, or other abnormal sounds.3. The liver is possibly enlarged.4. Neck veins may be bulging. Heart enlargement or other disorders with the structure can be seen:1. Echocardiogram2. Cardiac stress tests3. Chest x-ray4. Coronary angiogram to look at blood flow to the heart5. CT scan of the heart6. MRI of the heart7. Nuclear heart scan (MUGA, RNV)8.
Heart biopsy (rarely needed)Treatment:Non Medical Care:1. Rest2. Oxygen3. Low salt Diet4. Treat hypertension5. Treat angina with nitrates sublingually6. Cardiac rehabilitation with mild exercise (muscular and pulmonary)Some medicines can treat the symptoms:1. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors2. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)3. Beta-blockers4. Aldosterone antagonists5. Cardiac glycosides6.
Diuretics7. Vasodilators8. Antiarrhythmics9. Human B-type natriuretic peptide10. Inotropic agents11. Neprilysin inhibitor12. Nitrates13. Anticoagulants may be used in selected patientsProcedures and surgeries for the patient are:1. A pacemaker to help treat slow heart rates or help the heartbeat stay in sync2. A defibrillator that detects life-threatening heart rhythms and sends an electrical pulse to stop them (implantable cardioverter defibrillator)3.
Heart bypass (CABG) surgery or angioplasty to improve blood flow to the damaged or weakened heart muscle4. Valve replacement or repairFor advanced cardiomyopathy:1. A heart transplant may be advised if standard treatments have not worked and heart failure symptoms are very severe.2. Placement of a left ventricular assist device or artificial heart may be done. Newer methods still under investigations are:1.
Gene therapies2. Myoblast transplantation3. Stem cells4. CardioMEMS is a wireless implantable pulmonary artery (PA) pressure monitoring systemTABLE OF CO...