Dilated cardiomyopathy
Summary
Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common of the cardiomyopathies, accounting for over 90% of cases. It is usually idiopathic or familial, with other etiologies including alcohol abuse, wet beriberi, Coxsackie B virus myocarditis, chronic cocaine use, Chagas disease, doxorubicin toxicity, hemochromatosis (reversible), sarcoidosis, and peripartum cardiomyopathy. Findings include systolic heart failure, an audible S3, systolic regurgitant murmur, and a dilated heart on echocardiogram with chest X-ray showing a 'balloon-like' heart. Treatment includes symptomatic management with sodium restriction, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, diuretics, digoxin, and implantable cardiac defibrillators. Cure is only possible with a heart transplant.
Sources
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- "The Diagnosis and Evaluation of Dilated Cardiomyopathy" Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2016)
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- "Dilated cardiomyopathy" Nature Reviews Disease Primers (2019)