Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases in which inflammation of the muscle tissue of the heart occurs for various reasons (sometimes unclear). At the same time there are no pathologies of coronary arteries and valvular apparatus, as well as arterial hypertension, pericarditis and some rare pathologies of the conduction system of the heart. The disease can affect all people, regardless of age and sex. In general, cardiomyopathies are characterized by the appearance of cardiomegaly (an increase in heart size), changes in the ECG and progressive course with the development of circulatory insufficiency, and an unfavorable prognosis for life.
Cardiomyopathies are classified according to many signs: etiological, anatomical, hemodynamic, etc. Let us consider in more detail the symptoms of the most common types of cardiomyopathies.
Symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is characterized by a significant thickening of the wall of the left (less often right) ventricle and a decrease in the ventricular chamber. This type of disease is a hereditary pathology, it often develops in males.
Often patients have such complaints:
- heartache;
- attacks of dizziness;
- tendency to fainting;
- cardiopalmus;
- dyspnea;
- general weakness;
- blanching of the skin, etc.
Heart failure is gradually developing in some patients. As a result of rhythm disturbance, sudden death may occur. However, in most cases, patients continue to work for a long time.
Symptoms of toxic cardiomyopathy
The cause of this disease is the toxic effect of certain drugs and alcohol. Most often, especially in our country, there is alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which develops due to prolonged consumption of alcoholic beverages in large quantities. In alcoholic heart disease, focal or diffuse dystrophy of the myocardium is observed with a clear stage of development of pathological processes. The main symptoms of alcoholic cardiomyopathy are:
- pain in the heart;
- a feeling of lack of air;
- high blood pressure;
- arrhythmia ;
- swelling;
- dyspnea;
- coldness and tremor of extremities, etc.
If the treatment is started on time, the main stage of which is a complete refusal of alcohol, you can partially stabilize the patient's condition.
Symptoms of metabolic cardiomyopathy
Metabolic cardiomyopathy is a defeat of the myocardium due to metabolic disorders and the process of energy formations in the muscle layer of the heart. Often the disease is hereditary. There is myocardial dystrophy and cardiac insufficiency.
Symptoms of metabolic cardiomyopathy are nonspecific. At the initial stage, the disease most often does not manifest itself by any clinical signs. But sometimes patients note:
- pain and discomfort in the heart, fatigue and dyspnea with physical activity and walking;
- headache;
- poor sleep;
- decrease in performance.
As the disease develops, complaints observed during physical activity and walking are noted at rest. Also often there is such a symptom as swelling of the shins and feet.
Symptoms of ischemic cardiomyopathy
Ischemic cardiomyopathy is caused by coronary heart disease, in which there is a narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen. Most of the disease affects middle-aged and elderly men. Observed
The main symptoms of this type of disease:
- dyspnea;
- weakness, fatigue;
- loss of appetite;
- cough;
- swelling of the feet , etc.
With time, heart failure develops. Prolonged absence of treatment leads to a negative outcome.