Inflammatory cardiomyopathy
Inflammatory cardiomyopathy is defined as inflammation of the heart muscle associated with impaired function of the myocardium. In our region, its aetiology is most often viral. Viral infection is a possible trigger of immune and autoimmune mechanisms which contributed to the damage of myocardial function. Myocarditis is considered the most common cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Typical manifestation of this disease is heart failure, chest pain, or arrhythmias. The life expectancy for congestive heart failure depends on the cause of heart failure, its severity, and other underlying medical conditions. In general, about half of all people diagnosed with congestive heart failure will survive five years. About 30% will survive for 10 years. The main types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) is a cardiac condition characterized by the inflammation of the muscular tissues of the heart (the myocardium) accompanied by alterations in myocardial morphology and function. Clinically, ICM exhibits typical morphological characteristics of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (iDCM), and it is the leading cause of non-ischemic heart failure (HF), accounting for nearly one quarter (25%) of HF patients in the United States and Europe. The diagnosis of cardiomyopathy is often clear from an individual's descriptions of his or her symptoms, the results of a physical examination, and the results of a chest x-ray, echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram. Occasionally, a test called an endo-myocardial biopsy is necessary.
The symptoms of cardiomyopathy:
- General weakness and fatigue.
- Shortness of breath, particularly during exertion or exercise.
- Light-headedness and dizziness.
- Chest pain.
- Heart palpitations.
- Fainting attacks.
- High blood pressure.
Heart inflammation can be caused by infections, particularly from viruses or bacteria; medicines; or damage to the heart's tissue or muscle from autoimmune diseases, medicines, environmental factors, or other triggers causes cardiac inflammation. The main cause of cardiomyopathy: Viral infections in the heart are a major cause of cardiomyopathy. In some cases, another disease or its treatment causes cardiomyopathy. This might include complex congenital (present at birth) heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, uncontrollable, fast heart rhythms, or certain types of chemotherapy for cancer.
There are four stages of heart failure, named A, B, C and D.
- Heart Failure Stage A. Pre-heart failure, which means that you are at high risk of developing heart failure.
- Heart Failure Stage B.
- Heart Failure Stage C.
- Heart Failure Stage D.
5 classic signs of inflammation:
Based on visual observation, the ancients characterised inflammation by five cardinal signs, namely redness (rubor), swelling (tumour), heat (calor; only applicable to the body' extremities), pain (dolor) and loss of function (functio laesa).
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