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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Illustration showing dilated cardiomyopathy Dilated cardiomyopathy
Illustration showing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-oh-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease that weakens and enlarges your heart muscle. There are three main types of cardiomyopathy — dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive. Cardiomyopathy makes it harder for your heart to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of your body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.

Cardiomyopathy can be treated. The type of treatment you'll receive depends on which type of cardiomyopathy you have and how serious it is. Your treatment may include medications, surgically implanted devices or, in severe cases, a heart transplant.

Symptoms
References
  1. Cardiomyopathy. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cm/. Accessed Dec. 7, 2011.
  2. Maron BJ, et al. Contemporary definitions and classification of the cardiomyopathies: An American Heart Association scientific statement from the Council on Clinical Cardiology, Heart Failure and Transplantation Committee; Quality of Care and Outcomes Research and Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Interdisciplinary Working Groups; and Council on Epidemiology and Prevention. Circulation. 2006;113:1807.
  3. Cooper LT. Definition and classification of the cardiomyopathies. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 7, 2011.
  4. Weigner M, et al. Causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 7, 2011.
  5. Colucci WS. Evaluation of the patient with heart failure or cardiomyopathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 7, 2011.
  6. Ammash NM, et al. Idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 7, 2011.
  7. Podrid PJ, et al. Secondary and primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in heart failure and cardiomyopathies. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 7, 2011.
DS00519 March 2, 2012

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