Cardiomyopathy is a heart disease that causes the body issues pumping blood throughout the body.
The most common types of cardiomyopathy include restrictive, dilated and hypertrophic.
Causes of Cardiomyopathy
While the disease can be caused by another condition, or transferred from a parent, but most causes of the disease are unknown.
It can be caused from the following conditions:
- Covid-19 infection
- High blood pressure
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Heart attack
- Long-time rapid heart rate
- Drug use (cocaine)
- Heart valve issues
- Excessive drinking
- Obesity
- Thyroid Diseases
- Diabetes
- Pregnancy issues
- Iron build up
- Lack minerals or vitamins
- Abnormal proteins
- Connective tissue disorder
Cardiomyopathy Signs and Symptoms
Commons signs and symptoms of cardiomyopathy include:
- Fatigue
- Breathlessness
- Dizziness
- Swelling in legs/feet
- Fainting
- Lightheadedness
- Chest pressure of discomfort
- Irregular heartbeats
- Trouble lying flat while resting/sleeping
- Coughing while lying down
- Fluid build up / bloating of abdomen
Cardiomyopathy Treatments
Treatments focus on managing symptoms, reducing and preventing risks of further health complications, including:
- Medications focused on improving heart function, lowering blood pressure, lowering heart rates, preventing blot clots and helping with fluid build up.
- Septal ablation therapy
- Radio frequency ablation therapy
- Pacemakers
- VAD device
- ICD device
- Heart transplants
- Septal myectomy
As you can see from the treatments listed above, cardiomyopathy is not to be taken lightly.
If you believe you or a loved one may be experiencing symptoms from the disease, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.