Cardiomyopathy
June is Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month
Know Your Heart History
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body. It can affect people of all ages and races and can develop for different reasons, and is most often passed down genetically. Understanding whether it runs in your family could help you recognise risks, take action sooner, and get diagnosed earlier.
Sometimes, the first clue is not a symptom, but a story – a parent who developed heart problems unexpectedly; a relative who struggled with unexplained chest pains; a sudden, premature death that no one fully understood. Talk to your family about their heart health. If something doesn’t feel right, speak to your doctor about what it could mean for you.
June is Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month, led by the Cardiomyopathy Patient Network at the Global Heart Hub, the international alliance of heart patient organisations. Croí is an affiliate of the Global Heart Hub.
What is Cardiomyopathy?
- Cardiomyopathy is a family of diseases that affect the heart muscle: ‘cardio’ means heart, ‘myo’ means muscle and ‘pathy’ means disease. It isn’t a single condition, but a group of conditions that affect the structure of the heart and reduce its ability to pump blood around the body.
- Cardiomyopathy can have a number of different causes depending on the type of cardiomyopathy. However, in many cases it is a genetic condition that can be passed down through families.
- Cardiomyopathy can make your heart stiffen, enlarge or thicken and can cause scar tissue. As a result, your heart can’t pump blood effectively to the rest of your body.
- Treatment for cardiomyopathy may include medications, lifestyle changes or surgery. Although there is no cure for cardiomyopathy, you can manage the condition. People who receive treatment can live a high quality of life with cardiomyopathy.
The most common types of Cardiomyopathy are:
Your heart’s blood-pumping chambers enlarge (dilate).
Disease in your heart muscle causes irregular heart rhythms.
Your heart muscle thickens.
Know The Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs and abdomen
- Dizziness
- Light-headedness
- Fainting during physical activity
- Arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats)
- Chest pain, especially after physical exertion
- Heart murmurs
If you have any questions about Cardiomyopathy please contact the Croí Connects, nurse-led telephone helpline on 091 332999 or email healthteam@croi.ie. You can also avail of our weekly online chats, for more information visit Croí Connects.
