Heart
Cardiomyopathy
A disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body.
Cardiomyopathy is a group of heart muscle diseases that impair the heart's ability to pump effectively. Early assessment prevents heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
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Cardiomyopathy involves the abnormal thickening or weakening of the heart muscle, progressively reducing its ability to pump effectively.
Types of Cardiomyopathy
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) — heart chamber enlargement and weakening; most common form
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) — abnormal muscle thickening; leading cause of sudden death in young athletes
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy — stiff heart walls impairing filling; linked to systemic conditions
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) — genetic disorder with progressive muscle replacement
- Takotsubo (Stress) Cardiomyopathy — triggered by intense emotional or physical stress
- Peripartum Cardiomyopathy — develops late in pregnancy through five months postpartum
Symptoms
- Breathlessness and fatigue
- Leg and ankle swelling
- Palpitations and chest discomfort
- Unexplained fainting
- Some forms may present with sudden cardiac arrest
Diagnosis
- Echocardiography and cardiac MRI
- ECG and Holter monitoring
- Stress testing
- Genetic testing
- Blood tests
Treatment Options
- Medications: beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, anticoagulants
- Device therapy: implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT)
- Surgical interventions: septal myectomy, alcohol septal ablation
- Cardiac transplantation for end-stage disease
Concerned About Cardiomyopathy?
Dr. Peter Chang offers specialist assessment and personalised management at Paragon Medical Centre, Singapore.