There are 3 main types of cardiomyopathy:
Dilated cardiomyopathy Dilated Cardiomyopathy Dilated cardiomyopathy is a group of heart muscle disorders in which the ventricles (the 2 lower chambers of the heart) enlarge (dilate) but are not able to pump enough blood for the body’s... read more , in which the ventricles (the 2 lower heart chambers) enlarge (dilate)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy includes a group of heart disorders in which the walls of the ventricles (the 2 lower chambers of the heart) thicken (hypertrophy) and become stiff. Most cases of... read more , in which the walls of the ventricles thicken and become stiff
Restrictive cardiomyopathy Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Restrictive cardiomyopathy includes a group of heart disorders in which the walls of the ventricles (the 2 lower chambers of the heart) become stiff, but not necessarily thickened, and resist... read more , in which the walls of the ventricles become stiff but not necessarily thickened
The main types of cardiomyopathy may overlap, that is, people may have features of more than one type.
The term cardiomyopathy is used only when a disorder directly affects the heart muscle. Other heart disorders such as coronary artery disease Overview of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Coronary artery disease is a condition in which the blood supply to the heart muscle is partially or completely blocked. The heart muscle needs a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood. The coronary... read more and heart valve disorders Overview of Heart Valve Disorders Heart valves regulate the flow of blood through the heart's four chambers—two small, round upper chambers (atria) and two larger, cone-shaped lower chambers (ventricles). Each ventricle has... read more , as well as high blood pressure High Blood Pressure High blood pressure (hypertension) is persistently high pressure in the arteries. Often no cause for high blood pressure can be identified, but sometimes it occurs as a result of an underlying... read more , also can eventually cause the ventricles to enlarge or thicken.
Types of Cardiomyopathy
There are 3 main types of cardiomyopathy—dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive. |
Cardiomyopathy can be caused by many disorders, or it may have no identifiable cause.
Cardiomyopathies often result in the heart not pumping blood adequately. Inadequate blood pumping can cause symptoms of heart failure Symptoms Heart failure is a disorder in which the heart is unable to keep up with the demands of the body, leading to reduced blood flow, back-up (congestion) of blood in the veins and lungs, and/or... read more , including shortness of breath Shortness of Breath Shortness of breath—what doctors call dyspnea—is the unpleasant sensation of having difficulty breathing. People experience and describe shortness of breath differently depending on the cause... read more and fatigue. Some cardiomyopathies may also cause chest pain Chest Pain Chest pain is a very common complaint. Pain may be sharp or dull, although some people with a chest disorder describe their sensation as discomfort, tightness, pressure, gas, burning, or aching... read more , fainting Fainting Light-headedness (near syncope) is a sense that one is about to faint. Fainting (syncope) is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness during which the person falls to the ground or slumps in a... read more , abnormal heart rhythms Overview of Abnormal Heart Rhythms Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) are sequences of heartbeats that are irregular, too fast, too slow, or conducted via an abnormal electrical pathway through the heart. Heart disorders are... read more , or sudden death.
To diagnose a cardiomyopathy, doctors ask whether the person has a family history of cardiomyopathy and then do blood tests, electrocardiography Electrocardiography Electrocardiography (ECG) is a quick, simple, painless medical test that measures the heart’s electrical impulses. During an ECG, the heart's electrical impulses are measured, amplified, and... read more , chest x-ray, echocardiography Echocardiography and Other Ultrasound Procedures Ultrasonography is a type of medical imaging that uses high-frequency (ultrasound) waves to produce a moving image of internal organs and other tissues. Echocardiography is ultrasonography of... read more , radionuclide imaging of the heart Radionuclide Imaging of the Heart Radionuclide imaging is a type of medical imaging that produces images by detecting radiation after a radioactive material is administered by vein. Radionuclide imaging of the heart can be helpful... read more (sometimes), and magnetic resonance imaging of the heart Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Heart Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a type of medical imaging that uses a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves to produce highly detailed images, including of the heart... read more . In some people, doctors take a sample of tissue from the inner wall of the heart to examine under a microscope (endomyocardial biopsy). Other tests are done as needed to determine the cause.
Treatment depends on the specific type and cause of cardiomyopathy.
More Information
The following English-language resources may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of these resources.
American Heart Association: Cardiomyopathy in adults: Provides comprehensive information on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiomyopathies
American Heart Association: Pediatric cardiomyopathies: Provides comprehensive information on diagnosis, including genetic diagnosis and treatment of cardiomyopathy in children