These malformations may be inherited, but the causes of many are not understood and are the subject of active ongoing research. Some conditions are mild and do not require treatment while others are very severe and may require open heart surgical repair during the newborn period. Visit The Heart Center Encyclopedia to learn more about congenital heart disease and the heart anomalies it can cause. Return to top Cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the heart muscle, also known as the myocardium. The actual muscle cells and surrounding tissues are sick.
Cardiomyopathies can be primary, meaning the sickness predominantly involves the heart.
They can also be secondary, meaning the sickness is a result of another disease or toxin and may also affect other organ systems within the body, including the heart. Patients with cardiomyopathy will most commonly have a heart with normal anatomy. In most children, myocarditis is triggered by a viral infection involving the heart. The severity of disease seems to be dependent upon many factors such as age, sex, and the immune system. Treatment for myocarditis is evolving as the disease is better understood.