Understanding Cardiomyopathy

A group of diseases which affect the muscle of the heart is called cardiomyopathy. This includes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, takotsubo cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is usually inherited and occurs due to the heart muscle enlarging and thickening. The ventricles enlarge and weaken in dilated cardiomyopathy, while the ventricle stiffens in restrictive cardiomyopathy. The symptoms of cardiomyopathies include fainting, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, swelling of the lower extremities, etc. To diagnose a cardiomyopathy, various diagnostic procedures can be used, such as ECG, echocardiogram, stress test, physical examination, etc. Depending on the type of cardiomyopathy, treatment involves medication, ablation, and the use of defibrillators, ventricular assist devices and pacemakers. In some cases, a heart transplant may also be performed. This book presents researches and studies performed by experts across the globe on cardiomyopathy. It is a resource guide for experts as well as students.