Cardiomyopathy: Causes, And Prognosis
Cardiomyopathy: Causes, Treatments, & Prognosis
General Biology BIOL1114R122S-2101 Benson, Gifty
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV). Although this is a proverb from the Bible and most likely not meant in a literal biological term, it is still fitting for everyday life. The heart is an absolute necessary part of human existence. The human heart is really quite simple when compared to other organs in the body. It is essentially a pump made of muscle about the size of a fist and weighs between nine and eleven ounces in a healthy adult. With every beat a heart pumps vital oxygenated blood throughout the body. When there is a deterioration of the heart muscle and …show more content…
There are several types of cardiomyopathies but they all fall into one of four main categories; these categories are dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, each with its own believed cause, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis. The most common form of this disease is dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes dilated by stretching out. “When this happens, the heart muscle becomes weak, thin, or floppy and is unable to pump blood efficiently around the body. This can lead to fluid building up in the lungs, ankles, abdomen and other organs of the body and a feeling of being breathless. This collection of symptoms is known as heart failure” (McKenna). The causes of this form of cardiomyopathy have a wide range. This form of cardiomyopathy can be linked to genetics. It may be passed from one generation to another with as high as a one in three rate of being passed from parent to child. There are genetic marker tests that can be performed to possibly find out …show more content…
There are many diseases included in that category but the subcategory of cardiomyopathies contributed almost 30,000 deaths to the total every year for the past four years. This disease doesn’t receive attention like heart attacks and blocked arteries but the majority of these individuals could be saved with early detection through screenings and diagnostic testing. Simple blood tests will show death of cardiac enzymes. EKGs, stress tests, and other procedures can help with a diagnosis. If a patient has a family member, especially a parent or sibling with a cardiomyopathy, genetic testing should be pursued so that early prevention treatment can save or prolong a life. In the majority of cases, early death is not inevitable if this disease is
General Biology BIOL1114R122S-2101 Benson, Gifty
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV). Although this is a proverb from the Bible and most likely not meant in a literal biological term, it is still fitting for everyday life. The heart is an absolute necessary part of human existence. The human heart is really quite simple when compared to other organs in the body. It is essentially a pump made of muscle about the size of a fist and weighs between nine and eleven ounces in a healthy adult. With every beat a heart pumps vital oxygenated blood throughout the body. When there is a deterioration of the heart muscle and …show more content…
There are several types of cardiomyopathies but they all fall into one of four main categories; these categories are dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, each with its own believed cause, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis. The most common form of this disease is dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes dilated by stretching out. “When this happens, the heart muscle becomes weak, thin, or floppy and is unable to pump blood efficiently around the body. This can lead to fluid building up in the lungs, ankles, abdomen and other organs of the body and a feeling of being breathless. This collection of symptoms is known as heart failure” (McKenna). The causes of this form of cardiomyopathy have a wide range. This form of cardiomyopathy can be linked to genetics. It may be passed from one generation to another with as high as a one in three rate of being passed from parent to child. There are genetic marker tests that can be performed to possibly find out …show more content…
There are many diseases included in that category but the subcategory of cardiomyopathies contributed almost 30,000 deaths to the total every year for the past four years. This disease doesn’t receive attention like heart attacks and blocked arteries but the majority of these individuals could be saved with early detection through screenings and diagnostic testing. Simple blood tests will show death of cardiac enzymes. EKGs, stress tests, and other procedures can help with a diagnosis. If a patient has a family member, especially a parent or sibling with a cardiomyopathy, genetic testing should be pursued so that early prevention treatment can save or prolong a life. In the majority of cases, early death is not inevitable if this disease is