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There is no effective treatment for restrictive cardiomyopathy. Treatment of a causative disease may reduce or stop the damage to the heart, but existing damage cannot be reversed. Medications may be used to lessen the workload on the heart and to control the heart rhythm. Drugs normally used to treat other types of cardiomyopathy and [...]

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is one of the possible causes investigated when a person has heart failure. The diagnosis is based largely on the results of a physical examination, electrocardiography (ECG), and echocardiography. ECG can typically detect abnormalities in the heart’s electrical activity, but they are not specific enough for a diagnosis. Echocardiography shows that the atria [...]

Symptoms are similar to those of congestive heart failure. You may feel weak, very tired, and short of breath. Many patients have swelling in their legs (called edema). You may also find that you are sick to your stomach, bloated, and do not feel like eating. These symptoms most likely result from a buildup of [...]

In restrictive cardiomyopathy, the heart is of normal size or only slightly enlarged. However, it cannot relax normally during the time between heartbeats when the blood returns from the body to the heart (diastole). Later in the disease, the heart may not pump blood efficiently. The abnormal heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and [...]

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is the least common form of cardiomyopathy. This condition gets its name from the way it restricts the heart from stretching properly. While the rhythm and pumping action of the heart may be healthy, the stiff walls of the heart chambers keep them from filling normally. So blood flow is reduced, and blood [...]

If you are diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, your health care provider may recommend that your close blood relatives (family members) be screened for the condition. Some patients with mild forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are only diagnosed by screening echocardiograms because of their known family history.If you have high blood pressure, make sure you take your [...]

The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and prevent complications. Some patients may need to stay in the hospital until the condition is under control (stabilized). If you have symptoms, you may need medication to help the heart contract and relax correctly. Drugs include beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. These medicines reduce chest pain [...]

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be difficult to diagnose because it may not always cause symptoms. The first step in diagnosing heart problems is a thorough medical history and physical exam. Your doctor will ask you about any family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or any heart disease. Your doctor will also want to know if any relatives [...]

The clinical course of HCM is variable. Many patients are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. The symptoms of HCM include dyspnea (shortness of breath), chest pain (sometimes known as angina), uncomfortable awareness of the heart beat (palpitations), lightheadedness, fatigue, fainting (called syncope) and sudden cardiac death. Dyspnea is largely due to increased stiffness of the left [...]

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is often asymmetrical, meaning one part of the heart is thicker than the other parts. The condition is usually passed down through families (inherited). It is believed to be a result of several problems (defects) with the genes that control heart muscle growth. Younger people are likely to have a more severe form [...]