According to the American Heart Association, cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that results in an enlarged, thickened or stiff heart and in worse cases the muscle tissue is replaced by scar tissue (American Heart Association). As the cardiomyopathy worsens the heart becomes more fragile and less capable of doing its job causing heart failure or irregular heartbeat. There are four main types of cardiomyopathy. The first type is dilated cardiomyopathy, this involves the left ventricle becoming so large that it is unable pump the blood with enough power to get it circulating. The second type is hypertonic cardiomyopathy, this is the result of a heart muscle that has become enlarged, when the heart muscle is too big it has difficulty circulating the blood properly. The third type is restrictive cardiomyopathy, in this cardiomyopathy the heart becomes stiffer and loses its ability to expand. When the heart cannot extend after beats it cannot fill up properly, this results in less blood that can be pumped out. The fourth cardiomyopathy is arrhythmogenic right ventricle dysplasia. According to Mayo Clinic arrhythmogenic right ventricle dysplasia is a rare genetic mutation that results in scar tissue taking over the right ventricle (Mayo Clinic, 2015). This produces abnormal heart beats and disrupts the flow of blood through the chambers. Cardiomyopathy is tricky because not everybody experiences symptoms. However, according to the American Heart Association, if someone does have symptoms they would include: shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in lower extremities and neck veins, may experience being dizzy, light-headed, heart murmurs, irregular heartbeat, pains in the chest, and fainting during exercise (American Heart Association). There are no proven causes for cardiomyopathy, but there are some possible causes. Mayo Clinic reports that some these possible causes are the result of genetics, long term high blood pressure, damage from a heart attack, constant fast heart rate, obesity, alcoholism, chemo, cocaine, amphetamines, certain steroids, and certain infections (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Even though there is not a proven cause of cardiomyopathy, there are known risk factors. These risk factors range from family history to viral infections, diabetes to alcoholism and chronic high blood pressure. Just like every other heart disease the best way to prevent or reduce the chances of getting cardiomyopathy include healthy life choices that consist of:
In conclusion, cardiomyopathy is a tricky heart condition because people may not even know they have it and there are no proven causes. It is important to take care of your body in order to prevent or reduce your risk of cardiomyopathy or any other heart disease. It is never too late to change your lifestyle. For more information visit: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cardiomyopathy/basics/definition/con-20026819
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