ABGC Cardiology Conditions 2026

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - 3 Key Symptoms

Left Ventricular Systolic dysfunction (heart can't pump) and reduced heart contraction force +palpitations/arrhythmia; trouble breathing when lying flat; lightheaded +fainting (syncope)

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - Definition

Left Ventricle muscle stretches, thins, and the ventricle becomes larger

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - 3 Key Symptoms

Left Ventricular Diastolic dysfunction (heart can't fill) and ranges from asymptomatic to arrhythmias/heart failure +palpitations; trouble breathing when lying flat AND exercise intolerant +sharp chest pain (angina); lightheaded +fainting (syncope)

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - Definition

Left Ventricle muscle thickens and the ventricle becomes smaller

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy - 3 Key Symptoms

Right Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction (heart can't fill) and reduced relaxation +palpitation/arrhythmia; Exercise intolerance; Orthostatic hypotension (sudden syncope/fainting when standing)

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy - Definition

Fat and scar tissue replace muscle in Right Ventricle

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - 3 Key Symptoms

Global Diastolic Dysfunction (heart can't fill) and global reduced relaxation +palpitation/arrhythmia; trouble breathing when lying flat AND Exercise intolerant; lightheaded +fainting (syncope)

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - Definition

Global heart muscle rigidity w/ enlarged atria w/out hypertrophy/hypotrophy

Catecholaminergic Ventricular Tachycardia - 3 Key Symptoms

Increases in heart rate (emotional stress, physical activity) trigger tachycardia (palpitations), lightheadedness +fainting (syncope), and sudden death

Long QT Syndrome - 3 Key Symptoms

Fainting (syncope) w/ or w/out stress +sudden death; low heart rate; congenital deafness sometimes

Brugada Syndrome - 3 Key Symptoms

Ventricular tachycardia/arrhythmias +palpitations; Recurrent fainting (syncope), Cardiac arrest

Sudden Cardiac Arrest - 3 Key Conditions

Channelopathies: Long QT Syndrome, Brugada Syndrome, Catecholaminergic Ventricular Tachycardia; Cardiomyopathies: All of them

Familial Hypercholesterolemia - 3 Key Symptoms

Early onset Angina (chest pain), Myocardial infarction (heart attack), Xanthomas/Xanthelasma (cholesterol deposits in tendons and eyelids)

Transthyretic Amyloidosis - 3 Key Symptoms

Progressive peripheral sensorimotor and/or autonomic neuropathy (peripheral tingling/numbness + loss of motor control and/or loss of blood pressure/heart rate/digestion/bladder control); CNS involvement +seizures +dementia; Optic involvement (glaucoma, dry eye, ocular amyloid angiopathy (amyloid build up = blindness)

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - Nonsyndromic Genetics and Inheritance

AD mostly; TTN (20%), LMNA, MYH7, FLNC +many more

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - Nonsyndromic Genetics and Inheritance

AD; MYH7 and MYBPC3 +many more

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy - Nonsyndromic Genetics and Inheritance

AD mostly; PKP2, DSG2, DSP +many more

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - Nonsyndromic Genetics and Inheritance

AD usually; TNNI3 (most common), TNNI2, MYH7, FLCN, DES +many more

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - 3 Associated Syndromes

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (XL; DMD); Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (AD/AR LMNA; XL EMD); HFE-Related Hemochromatosis (AR; HFE)

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - 3 Associated Syndromes

RASopathies +Noonan (many AD genes); Friedrich Ataxia (AR; FXN); Metabolic Conditions (Fabry (XL; GLA), Pompe (AR; GAA),

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy - Associated Syndromes

Brugada Syndrome (AD; PKP2). That's it.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - 3 Associated Syndromes

Transthyretic Amyloidosis (AD; TTR); HJV- and HAMP-Related Hemochromatosis (AR; HJV and HAMP); Metabolic Conditions (Fabry (XL; GLA), Gaucher (AR; GBA), MPS Type 2 (Hunter Syndrome) (AR; IDS))

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - EKG Findings

Low QRS Voltage and Left Bundle Branch Block

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - EKG Findings

High QRS Voltage and Dagger-like Q Waves

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy - EKG Findings

T-wave Inversion and Long QRS

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - EKG Findings

Low QRS Voltage; Abn. P or T waves; Arrhythmias (AV block or Bundle Branch Block)

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - Treatment

ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers; Implantables (ICD; Pacemaker); avoid physical sports; heart transplant

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - Treatment

Calcium channel blockers and Beta-blockers; Implantables (ICD); avoid physical sports

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy - Treatment

ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers; Implantables (ICD); avoid physical sports; heart transplant

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - Treatment

Treat underlying cause (amyloidosis/hemochromatosis); Calcium channel blockers and Beta-blockers; Implantables (Pacemaker, ICD); Heart Transplant

Catecholaminergic Ventricular Tachycardia - Genetics and Inheritance

AD; RYR2 or AR; CASQ2

Catecholaminergic Ventricular Tachycardia - EKG Findings

Normal EKG at rest; Crazy QRS under stress

Catecholaminergic Ventricular Tachycardia - Treatment

Beta-blockers and Sodium-channel blockers; Left Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation (LCSD); avoid stress and physical sports; Implantables (ICD) (exact same as LQT)

Long QT Syndrome - Nonsyndromic Genetics and Inheritance

AD usually; KCNQ1 (LGT1), KCNH2 (LQT2); SCN5A (LQT3) are main 3 +many more

Long QT Syndrome - 3 Associated Syndromes

Timothy Syndrome (AD; CACNA1C); Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome (AR; KCNE1 and KCNQ1); Andersen-Tawil Syndrome (AD; KCNJ2)

Long QT Syndrome - EKG Findings

QT wave >450 ms; Torsade de pointes (twisting of points)

Long QT Syndrome - Treatment

Beta-blockers and Sodium-channel blockers; Left Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation (LCSD); Avoid stress and physical sports; Implantables (ICD) (exact same as CVT)

Brugada Syndrome - Genetics and Inheritance

AD usually; 42 genes account for 35%, the rest are unknown. Most common cause: SCN5A

Brugada Syndrome - EKG Findings

Type 1: Coved ST segment; Type 2: Saddleback ST segment

Brugada Syndrome - Treatment

Treat fevers immediately; Implantables (ICD);

Familial Hypercholesterolemia - Genetics and Inheritance

AD: LDLR, APOB, PCSK9 (GOF); AR: LDLR, APOB, PCSK9 (GOF), LDLRAP1

Familial Hypercholesterolemia - Lab Findings

Elevated total cholesterol and LDL

Familial Hypercholesterolemia - Treatment

Statins to reduce lipids, lifestyle management (exercise, diet, hypertension monitoring)

Transthyretic Amyloidosis - Genetics and Inheritance

AD; TTR

Transthyretic Amyloidosis - EKG Findings

Low QRS voltage, AV block and Bundle Branch Blocks

Transthyretic Amyloidosis - Treatment

Pain management; ambulatory devices and AFO's; symptomatic treatment; Implantables (pacemaker); Dialysis for End Stage Kidney Disease, treatment for Restrictive Cardiomyopathy