Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is a rare and specific form of heart disease. It affects the left ventricle of the heart, which has an abnormal structure with areas that are “non-compacted” and “empty” of muscle fibers, which usually do not contract properly. This results in the creation of an irregular and dense pattern in the cardiomyocyte tissue, which leads to a reduced ability of the heart to pump blood, causing cardiac complications.
The exact cause of left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy is not clear, but it seems to be associated with other genetic abnormalities or inherited heart diseases.
The symptoms (dyspnea, fatigue, chest pain or pressure, arrhythmias) are common to other cardiomyopathies. However, because the condition is rare, a Cardiologist specializing in Cardiomyopathies is required for its diagnosis.
Diagnosis at the Clinic includes a medical hereditary history, auscultation of the heart, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram of the heart, referral for specialized hematological tests to determine possible hereditary causes. Magnetic Tomography of the Heart will be performed to check the anatomy of the heart and the distribution of the non-compact area.
Treatment of Non-compact Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in the sense of “repairing” the heart is impossible. However, with a correct diagnosis, appropriate and specialized treatment that focuses on managing symptoms and preventing complications and, above all, with regular monitoring of the course of the condition by the Cardiologist, the patient can live with a good quality of life.
In case of severe arrhythmias in addition to antiarrhythmic drugs, implantation of a defibrillator may be necessary.
