Cardiomyopathy is a heart-related health problem. The problem is specifically related to the weakening of the heart muscle, which causes the heart to pump less blood and thereby other health problems. There are different types of cardiomyopathy, depending on what causes the cardiomyopathy or the weakened muscle. The main types of cardiomyopathy are hypertropic cardiomyopathy and restricted cardiomyopathy. There is another kind of cardiomyopathy that has no discernible cause. Such a condition is called idiopathic cardiomyopathy.
Some of the complications of idiopathic cardiomyopathy, even untreated ones, other than heart failure, are blood clots and cardiac arrest. It’s important to identify and begin treatment for idiopathic cardiomyopathy as it can be an unpredictable condition.
The causes for cardiomyopathy can be any number of conditions like constant substance abuse, infection, nutritional deficiencies, hypertension, and even genetics or pregnancies. But as the name suggests, the specific causes for idiopathic cardiomyopathy can be difficult to identify.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is generally considered the primary cause of idiopathic cardiomyopathy and that can occur due to many reasons as well, none of which are definite causes. Dilated cardiomyopathy can occur due to a damaged myocardium. The damage to the myocardium can happen due to different conditions including infections or previous heart trouble. Even autoimmune conditions are considered a cause for idiopathic cardiomyopathy.
There are different health conditions like thyroid or excessive alcohol abuse that are considered causes of idiopathioc cardiomyopathy.
Another form of idiopathic cardiomyopathy is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia, which is basically a condition found in young children and teenagers.
As the cause of this condition is difficult to identify, symptoms tend to be in a wide range.
Symptoms of idiopathic cardiomyopathy should not be ignored as negligence or ignorance can cause heart failure and even death. Some of the tests used to detect cardiomyopathy include chest X-ray, ECG or electrocardiogram, which maps the beats of the heart; echocardiogram, cardiac MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging , blood tests and cardiac catherisation or biopsy. These tests help determine the degree of the cardiaomyopathy. Other tests to check kidney function, iron levels in the blood, and thyroid problems might also be done.
As the condition is such that there are no real warning signs, it becomes difficult to give a prognosis. If the early symptoms are ignored, it could lead to fatal results. Dealing with idiopathic cardiomyopathy early on as compared to later makes it easier to live with this condition. The diagnosis is only possible after detailed tests, including extensive genetic history of the patient. Complications like embolisms can also occur if idiopathic cardiomyopathy is not identified correctly or in time.
The treatment for idiopathic cardiomyopathy can range from medication for the heart condition or the symptoms to heart surgery and implantation of a pace maker. The medication is usually to regulate blood flow and heart beats while a pacemaker controls the heart beats.
Medication can also regulate arrhythmia and prevent blood clots. A heart transplant is identified in later stages and only if the heart muscle has thickened considerably. A doctor will often recommend more than one course of treatment because while the degree of damage to the heart can be identified, its cause is usually unknown.
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