Ischemic cardiomyopathy typically refers to heart muscle damage that results from coronary artery disease, such as heart attack, and will not be discussed here . Nonischemic cardiomyopathy includes several types. The three main types are covered in this fact sheet. The name of each describes the nature of its muscle damage. This weakens the heart's pumping ability.
Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs most often in middle-aged people and more often in men than women.
However, the disease has been diagnosed in people of all ages, including children. But some factors have been linked to the disease's occurrence. For instance, alcohol has a direct suppressant effect on the heart. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by chronic, excessive consumption of alcohol, particularly in combination with dietary deficiencies. Also, dilated cardiomyopathy occasionally occurs as a complication of pregnancy and childbirth.