Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition in which the heart muscle, mainly the left ventricle, becomes enlarged and weak, making it unable to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. It affects the heart’s ability to function normally and leads to heart failure, arrhythmias that can lead to fainting or sudden cardiac death, blood clots that cause strokes or other complications. Patients have a poor quality of life with constant fatigue, shortness of breath, frequent hospital admissions.
What causes dilated cardiomyopathy
It can be caused by factors that differ from patient to patient, such as:
- Hereditary factors are more common, due to genetic mutations that affect heart muscle proteins.
- Viruses or infections (e.g. Coxsackie B or HIV).
- Drugs or alcohol in excessive consumption.
- Diseases such as hypothyroidism or diabetes mellitus.
- Mainly chemotherapy drugs but also others that can cause cardiotoxicity.
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus or other autoimmune disorders.
Symptoms and diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy
Symptoms usually include:
- Constant feeling of shortness of breath and feeling of exhaustion.
- Fluid accumulation mainly in the lower extremities.
- Tachycardia or irregular heart rhythm.
- Difficulty in eating and weight loss.
Contact a Cardiologist immediately if you have the above symptoms.
The doctor will take your medical history and listen to the heart sound to detect sounds that indicate arrhythmias or heart failure. At the Clinic, he will perform an electrocardiogram to record the heart rhythm and identify abnormalities and an echocardiogram (Echo), which will reveal the presence of cardiac dilation and dysfunction and the function of the ventricles. He will prescribe biochemical blood tests. If necessary, he will request a CT Coronary Artery Scan or Magnetic Tomography for a more detailed image of the heart.
To reduce the risk of serious deterioration, treatment of the underlying causes, such as hypertension or thyroid disorder, is carried out.
Treatment
DCM treatment focuses on relieving symptoms, slowing the progression of the disease and preventing complications with special medication.
If the condition has already caused serious arrhythmias to avoid the risk of sudden death, he refers for the placement of a pacemaker or defibrillator.
In severe cases of heart failure that does not respond to other treatments, a heart transplant may be required, but the shortage of transplants makes this extremely difficult.
