Cardiomyopathy

Question 1

What are the 3 types of cardiomyopathy

Answer 1

1. Dilated cardiomyopathy - 4 chambers dilate, heart walls become thin and lose contractility
2. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - walls thicken, become heavy and hyper contractile
3. Restrictive cardiomyopathy - heart muscle less restricted, stiff and less compliant - heart cannot fill properly. Can be secondary to disorder depositing iron/amyloid

Question 2

What signs and symptoms may be present due to cardiomyopathy

Answer 2

Heart failure signs and symptoms

i.e. fatigue, dyspnoea, swelling of feet. Also acute symptoms e.g. presyncope/syncope

Question 3

What is a potential complication of cardiomyopathy

Answer 3

Arrhythmias

Question 4

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy causes what kind of murmur?

Answer 4

Crescendo-decrescendo murmur in systole (S1-2)

Question 5

Dilated and restrictive cardiomyopathies cause what murmurs?

Answer 5

Cause S3 and S4 heart sounds

Question 6

How is cardiomyopathy type determined

Answer 6

Mainly via echocardiographic evaluation