Ischemic cardiomyopathy typically refers to heart muscle damage that results from coronary artery disease , such as a heart attack. Nonischemic cardiomyopathy includes several types. The three main types are dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive. Dilated Cardiomyopathy is the most common type of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. 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. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by chronic, excessive consumption of alcohol, particularly in combination with dietary deficiences. Also, dilated cardiomyopathy occasionally occurs as a complication of pregnancy and childbirth. Some drugs, used to treat a different medical condition, also can damage the heart and produce dilated cardiomyopathy. Such drugs include doxorubicin and daunorubicin, both used to treat cancer.