Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the myocardium with associated structural and functional abnormalities. They represent a different group of disorders in which myocardium is itself structurally and functionally abnormal.

Cardiomyopathies are classified traditionally according to morphological and functional criteria into four categories: dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D).

DCM is the most common form of heart muscle disease, comprising approximately 60% of all cardiomyopathies and characterised by left ventricular (LV) dilation and systolic dysfunction. DCM is often assumed to be a common pathway of several cardiovascular pathologies.