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Related Topics
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Go Local
- Services and providers for Cardiomyopathy in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Cardiomyopathy is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Cardiomyopathy
Also called: Dilated cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Myocardiopathy, Restrictive cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases enlarge your heart muscle or make it thicker and more rigid than normal. In rare cases, scar tissue replaces the muscle tissue.
Some people live long, healthy lives with cardiomyopathy. Some people don't even realize they have it. In others, however, it can make the heart less able to pump blood through the body. This can cause serious complications, including
- Heart failure
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Fluid buildup in your lungs or legs
- Endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart lining
Heart attacks, high blood pressure or infections can all cause cardiomyopathy. Some types of cardiomyopathy run in families. In many people, however, the cause is unknown. Treatment might involve medicines, surgery, other medical procedures and lifestyle changes.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Start Here
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Cardiomyopathy(American Heart Association)
Also available in Spanish
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Cardiomyopathy
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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JAMA Patient Page: Cardiomyopathy(American Medical Association)
Also available in Spanish
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
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| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Overviews
- Cardiomyopathy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
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Echocardiography(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Ejection Fraction: What Does It Measure?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- How Is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Diagnosed?(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association)
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Stress Testing(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- What Are Holter, Event and Transtelephonic Monitors?(American Heart Association)
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Echocardiography
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Treatment
- Living with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Treatments(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association)
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Coping
- Psychological Issues(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
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Disease Management
- Post-Adolescent Issues(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
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Specific Conditions
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Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia: What You Should Know(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
- Broken Heart Syndrome: Is Bad News Bad for Your Heart?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy(American Heart Association) - Links to PDF
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy(Merck & Co., Inc.)
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Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia: What You Should Know(American Academy of Family Physicians)
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Related Issues
- Causes of Cardiomyopathy(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
- Myocarditis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Anatomy/Physiology
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Heart Anatomy(Texas Heart Institute)
Also available in Spanish
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How the Heart Works(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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Heart Anatomy(Texas Heart Institute)
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Financial Issues
- Financial and Insurance Assistance(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
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Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Cardiomyopathies(National Institutes of Health)
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: 3-methylglutaconic aciduria(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Isobutyryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Noonan syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 3-methylglutaconic aciduria
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effect of cyclosporine on reperfusion injury in acute myocardial infarction.
- Article: Sex differences in outcome after implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation in...
- Article: Molecular etiology of idiopathic cardiomyopathy.
- Cardiomyopathy -- see more articles
- Medical Encyclopedia Return to top
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Cardiac Glossary(American Heart Association)
- Heart Failure Glossary
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Organizations
- American Heart Association
- Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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Law and Policy
- Family and Medical Leave Act(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
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Children
- Developmental Delays(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
- Introduction to Pediatric Cardiomyopathies(American Heart Association)
- Long Term Prognosis(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
- Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Defined(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
- Signs and Symptoms(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
- Treatment and Management(Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
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Women
- Cardiomyopathy and Pregnancy(Women's Heart Foundation)
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Date last updated: 11 September 2008 Topic last reviewed: 24 July 2008 |