Disease: cardiomyopathy
Question: for cardiomyopathy, what are the types of cardiomyopathy??
Answer: Cardiomyopathy generally has four types:
Dilated cardiomyopathy. Also sometimes called �enlarged heart,� dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when your heart muscle enlarges, or dilates, and may be too weak to pump blood efficiently. You can inherit it, or it can be the result of coronary artery disease. It�s the most common type of cardiomyopathy.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is believed to be genetic, occurs when your heart walls thicken and prevent blood from flowing through your heart. This stiffens your heart and increases your risk of electrical problems. Long-term high blood pressure, aging, diabetes, or thyroid disease can also cause acquired types of hypertension-related cardiomyopathy. In some instances, the cause is unknown.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD). This is a very rare form of cardiomyopathy, but it�s the leading cause of sudden death in young athletes. In this type of genetic cardiomyopathy, fat and extra fibrous tissue replace the muscle of the right ventricle. This causes abnormal heart rhythms and abnormalities in the function of the right ventricle.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy. Restrictive cardiomyopathy occurs when the ventricles stiffen and can�t relax enough to fill up with blood. Heart disease, scarring of the heart, and cardiac amyloid, which frequently occurs after a heart transplant, are thought to be possible causes.
Other types of cardiomyopathy
Most of the following types of cardiomyopathy belong to one of the previous four classifications, but each has unique causes or complications:
Peripartum cardiomyopathy. Peripartum cardiomyopathy occurs during or after pregnancy. This rare type occurs when the heart weakens within 5 months of delivery or within the final month of pregnancy. When it occurs after delivery, it�s sometimes called postpartum cardiomyopathy. This is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy, and it�s a life threatening condition. Having it once increases your risk with other pregnancies.
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is due to drinking too much alcohol over a long period of time, which can weaken your heart so it can no longer pump blood efficiently. Your heart can also become enlarged. This is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy.
Ischemic cardiomyopathy. Ischemic cardiomyopathy occurs when your heart can no longer pump blood to the rest of your body due to coronary artery disease. Blood vessels to the heart muscle narrow and become blocked. This keeps oxygen from getting to the heart muscle. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a common cause of heart failure. Alternatively, nonischemic cardiomyopathy is any form that isn�t related to coronary artery disease.
Noncompaction cardiomyopathy. This is also known as spongiform cardiomyopathy. It�s a rare disease present at birth and is caused by abnormal development of the heart muscle in the womb. Diagnosis may occur at any stage of life.
Pediatric cardiomyopathy. When cardiomyopathy affects a child, it�s called pediatric cardiomyopathy.
Idiopathic cardiomyopathy. If you have idiopathic cardiomyopathy, it means the cause is unknown.
Q: Is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy dominant or recessive?
Anonymous
A: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common genetic heart disorder.
It�s inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. This means that only a single copy of the mutated gene is needed to cause the disorder.
Sarcomere gene mutations are the primary genetic cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Normally, sarcomere genes work to encode proteins that are responsible for helping the heart muscle contract and relax properly. A genetic mutation impairs the gene�s ability to function properly.
More than 2,000 sarcomere mutations have been identified to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, not everyone who has a sarcomere gene mutation will develop this condition.
Uzochukwu Ibe, MD, MPH, ABIM board certified internal medicine physician and general cardiologist
Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.
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