exam 4- Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy

• A collection of diverse conditions of the heart muscle

• Many caused, symptoms and treatments that affect people of all ages and races

• Can be developed bc of another disease, condition, factor or inherited

3 types

• Dilated Cardiomyopathy

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

• Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Ventricular chamber enlargement with impaired (weak) systolic contractile function (how well it squeezes and pumps)

• Usually dilated in Left ventricle

• Weak contraction of heart muscle

• Decrease ejected fraction

• Leads to systolic dysfunction (not working right)

Etiology (the cause) of DCM

• Idiopathic- unknown cause (dr can’t identify why)

• Familial (genetic)/primary- inherited (passed down in genes)

• Inflammatory/secondary- affected/ another disease

  • Viral Myocarditis (infectious)- infects and inflames the muscle→ weakens

  • Connective tissue diseases (noninfectious)- autoimmune (attack it’s self) immune system causes inflammation in heart

• Toxic- damage from harmful substances

  • Chronic excessive alcohol ingestion- weak heart over time

  • Chemotherapeutic agents- cancer drugs that damage heart cells

• Metabolic- problems with body chemistry/ hormones affecting the heart

  • Hypothyroidism- low thyroid hormone slows body processes and weak heart function

Pathology (things you see in the heart) in DCM

Makes enlargement of all four cardiac chambers is typical of DCM- all 4 chambers become dilated bc blood backs up and the heart remodels over time

Sometimes the disease may be limited to left or right side of the heart- not all 4 chambers are affected

• Left: most common→ affects pumping to the body

• Right: less common→ affects lungs circulation

Pathophysiology of DCM