Cardiomyopathy Research Paper
Cardiomyopathy literally means disease of the heart muscle or the myocardium. In this disease, the heart loses its ability to pump blood and beat at a normal rhythm. The condition tends to start off mild and then worsens fairly quickly. In the most severe cases, cardiomyopathy can lead to congestive heart failure.
The main types of Cardiomyopathy are:
Dilated or 'enlarged' heart, the most common form of Cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscles become weak and cannot pump blood effectively. The weak muscles relax, and allow the chambers of the heart to expand. Most cases of dilated cardiomyopathy are a result of coronary artery disease, but about 30 percent of cases are genetic in origin. Dilated Cardiomyopathy occurs in 2 out of 100 …show more content…
In this disease, the muscle of the right ventricle is gradually replaced by a layer of fatty tissue. This fatty tissue causes major problems with the heart's rhythm. The most common result of this disease is cardiac sudden death, in which the heart suddenly stops beating. In fact, it accounts for one fifth of all cases of cardiac sudden death in people younger than 35, and is the leading cause of sudden death in young athletes. Although not a lot is known about the disease, somewhere between 30 to 90 percent of cases are inherited in a dominant fashion. This means that a person only has to inherit a mutated version of the gene from one parent in order to be at risk.
Restrictive or 'stiff' heart, the least common occurs when the heart walls become stiff and can't relax enough to fill with blood. A heart that cannot fill with blood cannot effectively pump blood to the body. The most common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy is when a protein called amyloid builds up in the heart muscle. However, it also occurs as a result of hemochromatosis or as a result of other heart diseases, some of which are inherited. This type of cardiomyopathy is relatively rare, occurring in 1 out of 1000
The main types of Cardiomyopathy are:
Dilated or 'enlarged' heart, the most common form of Cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscles become weak and cannot pump blood effectively. The weak muscles relax, and allow the chambers of the heart to expand. Most cases of dilated cardiomyopathy are a result of coronary artery disease, but about 30 percent of cases are genetic in origin. Dilated Cardiomyopathy occurs in 2 out of 100 …show more content…
In this disease, the muscle of the right ventricle is gradually replaced by a layer of fatty tissue. This fatty tissue causes major problems with the heart's rhythm. The most common result of this disease is cardiac sudden death, in which the heart suddenly stops beating. In fact, it accounts for one fifth of all cases of cardiac sudden death in people younger than 35, and is the leading cause of sudden death in young athletes. Although not a lot is known about the disease, somewhere between 30 to 90 percent of cases are inherited in a dominant fashion. This means that a person only has to inherit a mutated version of the gene from one parent in order to be at risk.
Restrictive or 'stiff' heart, the least common occurs when the heart walls become stiff and can't relax enough to fill with blood. A heart that cannot fill with blood cannot effectively pump blood to the body. The most common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy is when a protein called amyloid builds up in the heart muscle. However, it also occurs as a result of hemochromatosis or as a result of other heart diseases, some of which are inherited. This type of cardiomyopathy is relatively rare, occurring in 1 out of 1000