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Heart Disease: Dilated Cardiomyopathy

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• What Is dilated cardiomyopathy?
• What are the symptoms of Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
• What causes Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
• How is Dilated Cardiomyopathy diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
• What drugs are used to treat Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
• What lifestyle changes are recommended with Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
• What surgeries are used to treat Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
• Find a local Cardiologist in your town

What Is Dilated Cardiomyopathy?

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition in which the heart's ability to pump blood is decreased because the heart's main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, is enlarged and weakened; this causes a decreased ejection fraction (the amount of blood pumped out with each heart beat). In some cases, it prevents the heart from relaxing and filling with blood as it should. Over time, it can affect the other heart chambers as well.

What Are the Symptoms of DCM?

Many people with DCM have no symptoms or only minor symptoms, and live a normal life. Other people develop symptoms, which may progress and worsen as heart function worsens.

Symptoms of DCM can occur at any age and may include:

• Heart failure symptoms (shortness of breath and fatigue).
• Swelling of the lower extremities.
• Fatigue (feeling overly tired).
• Weight gain.
• Fainting (caused by conditions such as irregular heart rhythms, abnormal responses of the blood vessels during exercise, or no cause may be found).
• Palpitations (fluttering in the chest due to abnormal heart rhythms).
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Blood clots due to blood flowing more slowly through the body. If a blood clot breaks off, it can be carried to the lungs (pulmonary emboli), kidney (renal emboli), brain (cerebral emboli or stroke), or limbs (peripheral emboli).
• Chest pain or pressure (occurs usually with exercise or physical activity, but can also occur with rest or after meals).