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Dilated cardiomyopathy or DCM is a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged, and cannot pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems.

DCM is one of the cardiomyopathies, a group of diseases that primarily affect the myocardium (the muscle of the heart). Different cardiomyopathies have different causes and affect the heart in different ways. In DCM a portion of the myocardium is dilated, often without any obvious cause. Left or right ventricular systolic pump function of the heart is impaired, leading to progressive cardiac enlargement and hypertrophy, a process called remodeling.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common form of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. It occurs more frequently in men than in women, and is most common between the ages of 20 and 60 years. About one in three cases of congestive heart failure (CHF) is due to dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy also occurs in children.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, primarily affecting your heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle). The left ventricle becomes enlarged (dilated) and can’t pump blood to your body with as much force as a healthy heart can.

Dilated cardiomyopathy doesn’t necessarily cause symptoms, but for some people the disease is life-threatening. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a common cause of heart failure, the inability of the heart to supply the body’s tissue and organs with enough blood. Dilated cardiomyopathy may also cause irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), blood clots or sudden death.

Dilated cardiomyopathy may affect people of all ages, including infants and children, but it’s most often diagnosed in middle age.

Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when diseased heart muscle fibers become weakened and cannot effectively pump blood to the body. The weak heart muscles also allow one or more chambers of the heart to expand. With time, the enlarged heart gradually deteriorates, causing congestive heart failure.

1.Doctors try to treat the cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, usually by giving drugs.

2.Electrocardiography and echocardiography are used to diagnose dilated cardiomyopathy.

3.Shortness of breath and fatigue are often the first symptoms.

4.Coronary artery disease, viral infections, and some hormonal disorders are common causes of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy can develop at any age but is more common among people aged 20 to 60 years. About 10% of people who develop dilated cardiomyopathy are older than 65. The disorder occurs in about 3 times as many men as women and 3 times as many blacks as whites. About 5 to 8 of every 100,000 people develop the disorder each year.