Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a heart condition in which the heart of the person is not able to pump enough blood into the different parts of the body. This condition of the heart results due to coronary artery disease, in which there is a blockage in the coronary arteries due to buildup of a hard substance called plaque. Due to the blocking and narrowing of the coronary arteries, the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart is negatively affected and heart does not work properly. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is also related to previous records of heart attacks or chest pain (angina).
Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a common cause of congestive heart failure.
Patients with this condition may have experienced heart attacks or angina. It is also possible that patients may not experience any symptoms because the symptoms of this condition develop gradually over time. The common symptoms include:
Ischemic cardiomyopathy may also include the symptoms of angina such as chest pain, dizziness, heartburn, nausea, cold sweats, shortness of breath, vomiting, and unexplained fatigue after activities. The diagnosis for this condition begins after a test depicts that the heart is not pumping blood at the normal pace. This is referred to as decreased ejection fraction. Ejection fraction is a measure of the percentage of blood that is pumped out of a filled ventricle with each heartbeat. The ejection fraction is only measured in the left ventricle because it is the main pumping chamber of the heart.
A normal ejection fraction ranges from 55 to 70 percent. However, patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy show an ejection fraction less than the normal range. Ejection fraction is measured with various techniques such as:
According to a journal published by Villanova University, ischemic cardiomyopathy has a poor prognosis despite the evolution of various therapies. While coronary artery bypass grafting enhances the myocardial viability and thus improves survival in patients, the patients with greater left ventricular volumes do not exhibit any notable improvements. Another treatment option called the orthotopic heart transplantation is sensible only for a small group of patients. Another methodology called surgical remodelling improves the stress-strain relationships and myocardial functions. This, in turn, improves the ventricular anatomy and thus lengthens the life expectancy of the patients. The surgeons perform the surgical remodelling procedures along with other techniques such as revascularization, cardiac resynchronization therapy, and valve repair therapies in order to get the optimum results.
The American Heart Journal also predicts some beneficial effects of the FDA approved drug trimetazidine in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. According to the report based on the experiment done on a short series of patients, the drug improved the left ventricular function and the symptoms of the patients. Reports also suggest that the condition can be improved by incorporating certain life style changes.
More information about ischemic cardiomyopathy can be found out by using the ICD 9 codes. The ICD 9 414.8 code is a billable medical code used to specify a diagnosis. All the ischemic cardiomyopathies are classified to the code 414.8.
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