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Dilated cardiomyopathy

Definition:
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a group of disorders in which the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently. Decreased heart function affects the lungs, liver, and other body systems.

Alternative Names:
Cardiomyopathy - dilated

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The causes of cardiomyopathy are multiple and may include nutritional deficiencies, valvular heart diseaseanemia, stress, viral infections (rare), alcoholism (alcoholic cardiomyopathy), coronary artery disease, and others. In some cases, no cause can be identified (idiopathic cardiomyopathy).

Enlargement of the heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy) is the most common type of cardiomyopathy. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is another type that occurs when there is damage to the heart and scarring (fibrosis) or deposits develop in the heart muscle.

Some risk factors include obesity, having a personal or family history of cardiac disorders, such as myocarditis and alcoholism.

Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs in approximately 2 out of 100 people. It can affect all ages and both sexes, but is most common in adult men.



Review Date: 6/4/2002
Reviewed By: Seth Keller, M.D., Division of Cardiology, Yale New Haven Medical Center, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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