Cardiomyopathy

General information about cardiomyopathies

The cardiomyopathy is a collective name of a number of diseases which main display is change of a cardiac muscle. The exact reasons of development of this process – are unknown, but now doctors learned to distinguish a cardiomyopathy from other pathologies and defects of cardiovascular system quite precisely. The diagnosis primary or secondary cardiomyopathy is put when change of a muscle of heart is not connected with congenital anomalies of development, valve defects, general diseases of vessels, a pericardis, an arterial hypertension and rare pathologies at which the carrying-out system of heart is surprised.

Now allocate three types of damages of a cardiac muscle: dilatatsionny, restrictive and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. As a rule, specialists can make the exact diagnosis already at early stages of pathological process or at least have an idea of in what direction to them to move for establishment of causes of illness. Let's note what in some cases to define why the cardiomyopathy at children appeared, - it is not possible. In such situation doctors speak about development of an idiopathic form of a disease. Despite essential distinctions, all above-mentioned a cardiomyopathy have also a number of the general features:

• lack of signs of development of inflammatory reactions;
• tendency to formation of blood clots;
• the increased heart sizes;
• difficulties at treatment of heart failure which is usually caused a cardiomyopathy.

So, you got some idea about characteristic symptoms of the considered disease, more precisely – groups of diseases. Now we will talk about each form of cardiac pathology in more detail, but for a start we will stop by methods of their diagnosis

Diagnosis of cardiomyopathies

The main method of definition of existence of a cardiomyopathy is ultrasound examination of heart. In 40% of cases of ultrasonography allows to make the exact diagnosis already at the first inspection. Increase in heart can be revealed and radiological. The ECG, in turn, does not show any specific characters of development of cardiomyopathies and therefore it is unsuitable for diagnosis. Few data provide also laboratory researches. Thus, at the diagnosis a cardiomyopathy, the reasons of pathology are established only by means of ultrasonography and partly X-ray inspection. Let's note also that in the course of diagnosis doctors can use some other methods, but only for control over efficiency of the carried-out medical therapy.

Dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy

Disturbance of sokratitelny function of a myocardium and at the same time expressed expansion of cameras of heart are signs that the person had widespread nowadays dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy (symptoms meet at 5-10 cases on 100 000 population). Emergence of this form is usually connected with genetic predisposition and bad heredity. It partly explains that fact why the dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy often occurs at children.

The reasons of emergence of pathology are up to the end not studied. In recent years the idea that its development is provoked by various infectious agents, toxic poisonings, disturbances of exchange and immune processes in an organism is even more often introduced. Nevertheless, despite serious motions in the field of diagnosis, at the diagnosis the dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy treatment is still a problem because of impossibility to understand the pathology reason in more than a half of the registered cases.

If to speak about the most widespread provocative factors, then today to those, undoubtedly, alcoholic drinks belong. An alcoholic cardiomyopathy – one of the most widespread secondary cardiomyopathies of dilatatsionny type. it is quite dangerous as if patients continue to take alcohol, despite prohibition of the doctor, 75% from them will die within the next 3 years. Such adverse forecast is connected with the fact that the alcoholic cardiomyopathy influences not only a myocardium, but also other departments of cardiovascular system, causing multiple pathologies.

Dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy – disease symptoms

• asthma;
• bystry fatigue;
• hypostases;
• posineniye of integuments;
• symptoms of heart failure

Dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy – treatment of a disease

The main medical actions are directed to counteraction of heart failure and prevention of complications. Arterial pressure decreases by means of APF inhibitors (the most used drug – enalapril). Also influence a myocardium small doses of alpha and beta blockers. At the same time to patients diuretics are appointed. As the dilatatsionny cardiomyopathy has bad forecasts, patients are considered as candidates for transplantation of heart.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

At increase in thickness of walls of a left ventricle the diagnosis a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is made to patients. Genetic defects are the most probable cause of development of pathology, however in recent years not only the inborn cardiomyopathy at children, but also the acquired form at adults whose relatives never suffered from similar heart diseases even more often comes to light. Symptoms of a gipetrofichesky form:

• asthma;
• pains in the left part of a thorax;
• unstable cordial rhythm;
• tendency to faints.

The Gipetrofichesky cardiomyopathy is very dangerous as it leads to disturbances of heartbeat and sudden lethal outcomes. At a part of patients heart failure quickly develops that also poses a serious threat of life. Respectively, at diagnosis a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, treatment it is directed to improvement of functions of a left ventricle and recovery of its normal working capacity. For this purpose sick appoint verapamil, beta-blockers, the pacemaker for constant electrocardiostimulation. Unlike a dilatatsionny form, the gipetrofichesky cardiomyopathy has more favorable forecasts of treatment and low interest of mortality of patients.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy

Relaxation of walls of a myocardium and disturbance of functions of a cardiac muscle are the main symptoms of a restrictive cardiomyopathy. Causes of illness in most cases do not manage to be established. Besides, the secondary rekstriktivny cardiomyopathy which symptoms are similar to many other diseases of cardiovascular system is very difficult from the point of view of the correct diagnosis. As a matter of fact, at many patients of the complaint to disturbances of cordial activity arise only at late stages of a disease when development of heart failure is already well under way. Keep in mind that in a case with most of patients hypostases and short wind at the slightest exercise stresses became the reason of complaints.

As well as the dianostika, treatment of a restrictive cardiomyopathy is represented the most difficult task because of late statement of the correct diagnosis. During this period heart transplantation seldom results in desirable result, not to mention standard medicamentous means which efficiency tends to zero. As the result, mortality of patients with a restrictive cardiomyopathy reaches 70% within the first 5 years after an initiation of treatment.