### **What is cardiomyopathy?** Cardiomyopathy refers to a set of diseases of the heart muscle that reduces the normal function of the heart in pumping blood. This disease can lead to thickening, weakening, stretching, or hardening of the heart muscle, which as a result disrupts blood flow to other parts of the body. ** Types of cardiomyopathy ** - **Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)** - **Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)** - **Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM)** - **arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)** ### **Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)** In this type, the walls of the heart (usually the left ventricle) become abnormally thick, which can limit blood flow and increase the pressure inside the heart. This disease is often hereditary and may be asymptomatic in many cases. In this type, the heart muscle, especially the left ventricle, is stretched and thinned, and the ability to pump blood is reduced. This disease is usually caused by genetic factors, viruses, long-term alcohol consumption, and some chemotherapy drugs... **Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM)** In this case, the walls of the heart become stiff and inflexible, which causes the heart cavities to fill with blood. This rare type of cardiomyopathy is usually caused by fibrotic and storage diseases such as amyloidosis.... This rare type is usually hereditary, in which the muscle tissue of the right ventricle is gradually replaced by fatty and fibrous tissue, which can cause dangerous arrhythmias and eventually heart failure... **symptoms of cardiomyopathy** The symptoms of this disease vary depending on its type and the degree of disease progression, but the most common symptoms are: Shortness of breath, especially during activity or lying down **severe fatigue** and reduced ability to perform daily activities - ** Swelling in the legs, wrists and abdomen ** caused by fluid accumulation - **Dizziness or fainting**, due to reduced blood flow in the brain - **Irregular heart beat (arrhythmia)** that may appear as palpitations or a feeling of shaking in the chest.. **causes of cardiomyopathy** **Cardiomyopathy** can be caused by various factors, including: - **genetic factors** - **High blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases** - **Viral and bacterial infections** - **excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs** - **Metabolic and autoimmune diseases** **Genetic factors,** Some types of cardiomyopathy, such as hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, are hereditary and run in families... Viral and bacterial,** Some infections such as coxsackie virus and other viral agents may cause pathological inflammation of the heart muscle.. Autoimmunity ** Diseases such as diabetes, Amyloidosis, lupus, and overactive or underactive thyroid can affect the function of the heart muscle and cause cardiomyopathy... **diagnosis of cardiomyopathy** Doctors use different methods to diagnose this disease, which include: - **Echocardiography:** Examining the size, thickness and function of the heart muscle using sound waves - **Electrocardiogram (ECG):** Investigation of arrhythmia and electrical changes of the heart - **MRI of the heart:** Detailed imaging of the structure and function of the heart - **Blood test:** Examining the level of biochemical substances that may indicate inflammation or heart muscle damage.. - **Exercise test:** Evaluation of heart function during exercise. **cardiomyopathy treatment** The treatment of this disease varies depending on its type and severity and may include the following: ### **Medical treatment of cardiomyopathy** - **Betablockers and ACE inhibitors:** To reduce pressure on the heart and improve pumping performance - **Anti-arrhythmic drugs:** To control irregular heartbeat - **diuretics:** to reduce fluid accumulation in the body - **Anticoagulants:** To prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke ### **Cardiac devices (pacemaker and defibrillator)** In severe cases, devices such as implantable defibrillators (ICD) and pacemakers may be used to control arrhythmias and prevent cardiac arrest.