Cardiomyopathy natural history, complications and prognosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Lina Ya’qoub, MD; Edzel Lorraine Co, DMD, MD[2]

Cardiomyopathy will continue to progressively worsen, unless intervened on. As the function of the heart deteriorates, symptoms of heart failure become apparent. On the other hand, defects in ion channels and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can present with fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death without the preceding symptoms of heart failure. In general, complications and sequelae of cardiomyopathy include heart failure, arrythmia, thromboembolic disease, and sudden cardiac death. Prognosis of patients depends on the etiology of the cardiomyopathy and the initiation of management, whether medical, surgical or device therapy. Patients with cardiomyopathy are usually treated with medical treatment similar to heart failure patients, although some patients do not respond well to medications and continue to have worsening heart function, which may require heart transplant eventually. Those patients at high risk for fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death should receive device therapy with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

• The symptoms of cardiolyopathy usually develop secondary to a predisposing factor and an underlying cause and start with symptoms such as fatigue, fever, and shortness of breath.
• Cardiomyopathy will continue to progressively worsen, unless intervened on.^[1][2]

Cardiomyopathy gets worse unless treated. The most likely complications are:^[3]

• Heart failure
• Arrythmia
• Thromboembolic disease
• Sudden cardiac death

Prognosis of patients depends on the etiology of the cardiomyopathy and the initiation of management, whether medical, surgical or device therapy:

• Patients with cardiomyopathy are usually treated with medical treatment similar to heart failure patients, although some patients do not respond well to medications and continue to have worsening heart function, which may require heart transplant eventually.
• Those patients at high risk for fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death should receive device therapy with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).^[1][2][3]

Template:WS