Surgery may be needed to repair the valves. Cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathy is damage to the heart muscle from causes other than artery or blood flow problems. Viruses and the effects of alcohol or unknown agents can cause this. A stretched heart muscle does not pump as well as it should. It is like a rubber band that has lost its snap.
Idiopathic cardiomyopathy means the cause of the stretched muscle is unknown.
The heart then pumps faster and harder to get the available oxygen to the body. High pressure in the blood vessels going from the heart to the lungs makes it harder for the heart to pump. Lung disease can sometimes cause the body to produce too many red blood cells. This makes the blood thicker and harder to pump. If you have a chronic lung disease, treatment for it is very important.