Heart Muscle Diseases (Cardiomyopathies): Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The primary symptom of cardiomyopathy is heart failure (cardiac insufficiency).

The following other symptoms and complaints may indicate cardiomyopathy:

Dilated (dilated) cardiomyopathy (DCM)

  • Arrhythmias, especially ventricular (arrhythmias originating in the ventricles of the heart).
  • Global heart failure (simultaneous presence of left and right heart failure).
  • Left heart failure (heart failure), progressive (advancing), with exertional dyspnea (shortness of breath on exertion) and rapid fatigue on physical exertion

Hypertrophic (enlarged) cardiomyopathy (HCM) [most common hereditary heart disease; prevalence (disease incidence): approximately 1: 500]

The spectrum of disease ranges from complete asymptomatic to highly impaired performance:

  • Signs of heart failure (cardiac insufficiency) such as:
    • Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
    • Angina pectoris (“chest tightness”; sudden onset of pain in the heart area).
  • Vertigo
  • Palpitations: including those triggered by atrial fibrillation (VHF).
  • Syncope (brief loss of consciousness).
  • Ventricular arrhythmias (cardiac arrhythmias originating in the ventricle), ventricular tachycardia (accelerated pulse, 100-150 beats/min.) with vertigo (dizziness)

Restrictive (limited) cardiomyopathy (RCM)

  • Early stage: Often unexplained heart failure symptoms such as exertional dyspnea, nocturia (urination at night), edema (water retention; especially in the legs or lungs), intermittent, nocturnal shortness of breath, fatigue, lassitude, nausea (nausea), abdominal pain (abdominal pain), cachexia (severe form of emaciation), muscle atrophy (muscle wasting), cerebral functional impairment, cyanosis (blue discoloration)

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVCM)

  • Ventricular tachycardia (ventricular actions occurring outside the normal heart rhythm (120-200 beats/minute)).
  • Right heart failure (rare)
  • Syncope (rare)

Isolated (ventricular) noncompaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM)

  • Heart failure
  • Risk of thromboembolism (occlusion of a blood vessel by a dislodged blood clot).
  • Ventricular arrhythmias
  • Note: In the early phase, confusion with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is possible, in the advanced phase with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)!