Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that changes the heart’s structure or impairs its ability to pump blood.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A disease in which the heart muscle, especially the left ventricle, becomes abnormally thick. It is a common inherited form defined by thickened heart muscle.
Cardiac remodeling: Changes in the heart’s size, shape, and tissue in response to injury or sustained stress. Remodeling describes how cardiomyopathy can progress from initial damage to altered heart structure.
Transthyretin amyloidosis: A disorder in which transthyretin-derived amyloid deposits accumulate in tissues, including the heart. Cardiac deposits can produce a restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Echocardiography: Ultrasound imaging that depicts heart structure, motion, and blood flow. It measures wall thickness, chamber size, and pumping function in suspected cardiomyopathy.
Coronary artery disease: Narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Ischemic damage can weaken the heart, but it is distinct from primary cardiomyopathy.
Dilated cardiomyopathy: A disease in which one or both ventricles enlarge and contract weakly. It shows how cardiomyopathy can impair pumping by enlarging the heart chambers.
Myocardial fibrosis: Excess deposition of connective tissue within the heart muscle. Fibrosis stiffens the myocardium and can interrupt electrical conduction.
Fabry disease: An inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficient alpha-galactosidase A activity. Its cardiac involvement can cause thickened heart muscle and conduction abnormalities.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: Magnetic resonance imaging tailored to assess cardiac structure, function, tissue characteristics, and blood flow. It can reveal fibrosis and tissue patterns that help distinguish cardiomyopathy causes.
Myocarditis: Inflammation of the heart muscle, often caused by infection or an immune response. Myocarditis may mimic or cause cardiomyopathy, but denotes active muscle inflammation.