Cardiomyopathy Research Paper

Symptoms: Often symptoms don’t always have to appear for someone to have cardiomyopathy (1, 2). Some people may never have signs while some people may see signs in the early part of the disease (2). But as the heart weakens and the conditions worsen, symptoms of heart failure usually become prominent (2). The symptoms include trouble breathing (with exertion or rest), fatigueness, swelling in the veins of the ankles, feet, or legs, or bloating of the abdomen due to the fluid buildup (1, 2). Other signs include coughing while lying down, pressure on the chest, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting during physical activity, chest pain after eating huge meals or physical exertion, and heart murmurs (unusual …show more content…
Usually cardiologists will help diagnose cardiomyopathy since they specialize in treating heart diseases (2, 5). The doctors will want to know the patient’s family medical history, especially if anyone has had cardiomyopathy, heart failure, or sudden cardiac arrest (2, 5). In a physical exam, doctors will use a stethoscope to detect any differences in the heart or lungs (2, 5). Doctors might think a patient has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy if there is a certain loudness, timing, and location of a heart murmur (2, 5). But if doctors detect a more “crackling” sound, it might suggest heart failure (2, 5). Doctors can also pick up on signs simply from a physical exam. If doctors see swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, abdomen or veins of the neck, it might suggest that there is a fluid buildup which is characteristic of heart failure (2, …show more content…
They’ll use simple blood tests where they take a small amount of blood from the patient’s arm with a needle to rule out other conditions (2, 5). A chest x-ray shows the structures within the chest such as heart, lungs, and veins (2, 5). These x-rays can show if the patient’s heart is enlarged or if there’s a buildup of fluid in the lungs (2, 5). An electrocardiogram (EKG) records how fast the heart is beating by showing the heart’s electrical activity (2, 5). This test “shows the strength and timing of electrical signals passing through each part of the heart” (5). The EKG can detect arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), heart attacks, heart failure, and other disorders (2, 5). If the patient’s heart problems come and go, the doctor may suggest wearing a portable EKG monitor (5). There are small, portable monitors that note a patient’s heart activity during daily activities for a full 24 hour or 48 hour period called Holter or Event Monitors (2, 5). Most monitors will require the patient to touch a button when they feel symptoms coming on, but some will automatically start when they detect the symptoms (2, 5). An echocardiography (echo) is a test that follows the sound waves of the patient’s heart to create a picture that shows the size, shape, and how well the heart is functioning (2, 5). A stress echo is usually given with a stress test and it can show if there’s a decreased blood

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