What is Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle (myocardium). The term comes from the Greek words cardio (heart), myo (muscle) and pathy (disease). These conditions change the structure of the heart muscle, making it stiff, thickened, enlarged, or scarred. As a result, the heart has more difficulty pumping blood around the body.
Cardiomyopathy is not a single condition, but several conditions. The main types are dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy, with other forms such as arrhythmogenic, Takotsubo, and amyloid cardiomyopathy also recognised. Around 1 in 250 people are affected.
Symptoms can include breathlessness, feeling fatigued or unusually tired, chest pain is discomfort, swelling of the ankles, lower legs or belly, dizziness, and irregular heart rhythms. In some cases, cardiomyopathy may lead to heart failure or other serious complications.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition. Options may include medicines, implanted devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators, surgery, and in severe and rare cases, heart transplantation.