Invisible killers catch people off guard "
Cardiomyopathy refers to a disease in which the heart muscles are damaged, usually leading to heart failure and arrhythmia.
Cardiomyopathy is related to multiple factors and can be divided into primary and secondary types.
Classification of Cardiomyopathy - Primary Cardiomyopathy
The etiology is unknown and generally divided into the following four categories:
1. Dilated Cardiomyopathy
is the most common, accounting for 70% to 80% of cardiomyopathy. The etiology is diverse, and about half of the causes are unknown, also known as congestive cardiomyopathy. The clinical manifestations are mainly heart enlargement, heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden death, so the prognosis of this disease is poor.
2. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a familial disease that is inherited through autosomal dominant inheritance and genetic mutations. It can be divided into non obstructive and obstructive types, with a prevalence rate of 180/100000 in China. It is the main cause of sudden death during exercise in adolescents, and the prognosis varies greatly. It can occur suddenly or have no obvious symptoms for life, and the life expectancy is close to that of ordinary people.
3. Restricted cardiomyopathy
characterized by the formation of endocardial myocardial scars and possible occlusion of the ventricular cavity. It belongs to mixed cardiomyopathy. Compared with the former two, the incidence rate is slightly lower and the prognosis is poor. It often develops into refractory heart failure.
4. Undefined cardiomyopathy&occult cardiomyopathy
For patients who cannot be classified into the above types, have mild abnormalities, and have progressed or not progressed to significant cardiomyopathy, they are classified as "undetermined cardiomyopathy" or "occult cardiomyopathy".
Classification of Cardiomyopathy Secondary Cardiomyopathy
Common causes are as follows:
1. Ischemic causes
Mainly refer to myocardial ischemic changes caused by coronary atherosclerosis and coronary artery spasm, leading to myocardial lesions.
2. Infectious causes are more common in severe infections caused by bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, protozoa, etc. Bacteria or viruses directly invade the myocardium, or their toxins affect the myocardium, causing cardiomyopathy.
3. Metabolic causes
Cardiomyopathy caused by diabetes is the most common. Secondly, familial glycogen storage disorder, beriberi heart disease, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and cardiac amyloidosis can cause myocardial changes.
4. Endocrine reasons
Common causes include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, acromegaly, etc., which lead to myocardial lesions.
5. Drug related reasons
mostly refer to myocardial changes caused by allergies to sulfonamides, penicillin, and other drugs.
Cardiomyopathy - Diagnostic Methods
1. Medical History Collection
Doctors will inquire about the patient's medical history, including whether there are any cardiomyopathy patients in the family, whether there is a history of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and coronary heart disease, and the patient's lifestyle habits.
2. Symptoms and signs
Patients with cardiomyopathy may experience symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, and decreased exercise tolerance. The doctor will also examine the patient's signs such as heart murmurs and heart border size to preliminarily determine the presence of cardiomyopathy.
3. Electrocardiogram examination
Electrocardiogram is one of the important methods for diagnosing cardiomyopathy. Through electrocardiogram examination, doctors can understand the patient's heart rhythm, heart rate, and whether there are abnormal manifestations such as myocardial ischemia.
4. Imaging examinations
including echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, etc. These examinations can visually display the structure and function of the heart, helping doctors determine the type and severity of cardiomyopathy.
5. Hematological examination
including the detection of indicators such as myocardial enzymes and troponin. These indicators can reflect the degree and scope of myocardial injury, which is helpful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of cardiomyopathy.
6. Cardiac biopsy
When necessary, doctors may recommend that patients undergo a cardiac biopsy. By taking a small amount of myocardial tissue for pathological examination, the type and etiology of cardiomyopathy can be determined.
In summary, the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy is a complex process that requires comprehensive consideration of the patient's medical history, symptoms, signs, and multiple examination results. When diagnosing cardiomyopathy, doctors need to comprehensively consider the various factors mentioned above to make an accurate diagnosis. At the same time, it is also necessary to differentiate and diagnose similar diseases, such as coronary heart disease, heart valve disease, etc. Therefore, the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy needs to be carried out by professional cardiovascular doctors.
Other precautions for diagnosis and treatment of cardiomyopathy
1. Pay attention to health management
Mild patients with cardiomyopathy generally have no symptoms. If cardiomyopathy is found during physical examination, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent progression and aggravation.
2. Pay attention to standardized medical treatment
If symptoms such as shortness of breath and palpitations occur after physical activity, seek medical attention promptly; The first visit is usually to the cardiology department, and some severe patients need to be admitted to the intensive care unit. Chest X-rays and echocardiography are generally required to further confirm the diagnosis, and some patients need to be hospitalized for treatment.
3. Pay attention to family genetic history
For patients with various types of cardiomyopathy in their previous family, genetic testing and regular echocardiography should be performed.
4. Pay attention to nursing and medication
Regular monitoring of the condition is the main focus. As cardiomyopathy is a chronic heart disease that lasts for a long time, family members should do timely psychological communication and counseling. Pay attention to the medication manufacturer and dosage on time. If any adverse reactions occur, stop taking the medication immediately and contact a doctor to prevent discontinuation.
5. Pay attention to active prevention
quit drinking, pay attention to personal hygiene, avoid infection and fatigue, undergo regular physical examinations, exercise moderately, and enhance physical fitness.