Idiopathic cardiomyopathy

Alternative names:

cardiomyopathy - idiopathic

Symptoms:

• shortness of breath on exertion
• fatigue
• orthopnea (breathing difficulty when lying down)
• waking up at night short of breath
• swelling of the ankles
• urination, excessive at night
• irregular heartbeat (palpitations--a feeling of racing or skipping of the heart)
• decreased urine output (may not include at night)

Signs and tests:

Cardiomyopathy is usually diagnosed when it is discovered as the cause of heart failure.

A physical examination may reveal an irregular or a rapid heartbeat. There may be distended neck veins, enlarged liver, dependent edema, and signs of pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs). Listening to the chest with a stethoscope may reveal lung crackles or abnormal heart sounds. Blood pressure may be low or may drop upon rising (orthostatic hypotension).

An ECG may show arrhythmias or other abnormalities.

Heart enlargement, congestion of the lungs, decreased movement/functioning of the heart, decreased cardiac output, or heart failure may show on:

• echocardiogram
• chest X-ray
• chest CT scan
• coronary angiography
• nuclear heart scans (MUGA, RNV)

A heart biopsy may be helpful to rule out other causes of cardiomyopathy.

Laboratory tests vary depending on the suspected cause.

Cardiomyopathy is classified as idiopathic when all known possible causes have been ruled out.