Is Cardiomyopathy Life Threatening?

Cardiomyopathy disease is a dangerous one as it affects the heart muscle. The heart is very sensitive and a delicate part of human body and it easily gets damaged from cardiomyopathy. Moreover, the affected people belonging to almost every age group, from children to senior citizens and aged persons. In this disease, the heart muscle functions becomes weak and thereby, increase the risk related to heart failure or heart attack due to different and irregular heart rhythms.

At some point of time when people suffering from the problem of cardiomyopathy take more tension, they experience shortness of breath, fainting, feel very tired, swelling of the legs. All these harmful effects on body sometimes increase a risk of sudden cardiac death.

The treatment of cardiomyopathy is completely dependent on its type or stage. Doctors cure or treat the problem by recommending medicines only at the initial stage of the problem. However, when the problem reaches to its advanced stage, doctors recommend for surgery. On the other side, if a patient remains at the mild stage of cardiomyopathy, patient only requires necessary lifestyle changes, but does not require any treatment.

Symptoms and signs are properly dependent on the type of the cardiomyopathy you have and its stage, at what age you are serving it. Most of the times, cardiomyopathy does not show any major symptom at its early stage, based on which cardiologists may recognize it easily. However, later on, the following symptoms that be seen on a human body:

• Shortness of breath
• Arrhythmia
• Fainting/feeling of very light-headed.
• Palpitations (it is to be aware of changes of heartbeats or pounding in your chest.
• Due to fluid build-up, there are chances of swelling in the legs.
• Tiredness.
• Most of times there is a pain on the chest.

If children have cardiomyopathy, they face breathless problem or have continuous pain in chest while they do physical exercises or play any competitive sports with friends. They may also face sudden problem such as:

• Reduction in appetite
• Cough
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain

Symptoms of cardiomyopathy in babies’ include:

• Abnormal weight gain
• Heavy and fast breathing during feeding
• Taking long time for feeding
• Sweat secretion during feeding

Cardiomyopathy takes place in two different categories either primary or secondary. If cardiomyopathy is inherited or the cause is unknown it is said primary cardiomyopathy. When cardiomyopathy takes place due to any other health (especially heart) condition, it refers to secondary cardiomyopathy.

Causes of cardiomyopathy in adults include:

• Consumption of heavy alcohol over a long period
• Intake of drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine and anabolic steroids causes cardiomyopathy.
• Heart problems are not caused by viral infections but occasionally it affects the heart functioning and leads to cardiomyopathy.
• Due to side effects of cancer treatment or some chemotherapy drug and radiation therapy also sometimes become the major cause of cardiomyopathy.
• Sometimes, lack of important nutrients in body such as thiamine leads to cardiomyopathy and there should not be any nutritional deficiencies in adults.
• Heart muscles are damaged under conditions like sarcoidosis, amyloidosis and hemochromatosis
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• During pregnancy, sometimes cardiomyopathy is developed.
• Hereditary factor is the major cause of cardiomyopathy because it inherits and causes cardiomyopathy in several family members.
• Chronic conditions, like thyroid disease and diabetes cause cardiomyopathy.

In most of the cases, the cause of cardiomyopathy in children remains unknown. Some of the known causes are metabolic diseases, viral infection of heart, muscle disorders present at birth and sometimes it is inherited.

Irrespective of the cause of your problem or your age group, you need a cardiologist i.e., doctor who is specialist in heart conditions. Moreover, in case of children or babies, you may approach pediatrician cardiologist to get better medication for your child.

Also Read:

• Cardiomyopathy – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
• What is the Life Expectancy Of A Woman Who Has Cardiomyopathy?
• How Long Does A Person live After Being Diagnosed With Cardiomyopathy?
• How Do You Fix Cardiomyopathy?
• Can Exercise Help Cardiomyopathy?
• Can Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy Be Cured?
• Can Cardiomyopathy Go Away On It’s Own?