Cardiomyopathy

Question 1

what is the definition of cardiomyopathy?

Answer 1

diseases of heart muscle, can be: Hypertrophic, dilated, arrhythmogenic

Question 2

what is the most common cardiomyopathy?

Answer 2

hypertrophic

Question 3

what is NAXOS disease?

Answer 3

NAXOS disease - recessively inherited condition with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy

Question 4

what is the pathophysiology of cardiomyophathy?

Answer 4

Hypertrophic - thick septum (muscular), small cavities, areas of fibrosis (electrical insulator, circular movements of electrical current, can cause rhythm disturbances), myofibrillar disarray
Dilated - thin walled, LV dilate, all 4 chambers dilate, poor contractions, heart failure picture, develop arrhythmias
Arrhythmogenic - RV replaced by fibrous tissue and fat, disease of desmosomes, effets proteins that forms desmosomes, affect cell junctions

Question 5

what are the first line and gold standard investigations for cardiomyopathy?

Answer 5

ECG:
hypertrophic - inverted abnormal t waves, high voltages, non sustained ventricular tachycardia, can trigger ventricular fibrillation
Dilated -
Arrhythmogenic - arrhythmia, epsilon waves

Question 6

what are the differential diagnoses for cardiomyopathy?

Answer 6

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy
Myocarditis
Alcohol: dilated cardiomyopathy