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Cardiomyopathy cured?

In July of 2011, after a stress test, my cardiologist did a heart cath.  No blockage, but he said my left ventricle was not pumping as it should and gave me a vague diagnosis of cardiomyopathy--possibly viral.  I have been on carvedilol since.  I wore a monitor for 4 weeks and it showed PVC's, PAC's, and supraventricular something or other.  In September, I had an echocardiogram and my cardiologist said my heart looked normal.  Yesterday, Jan.5, 2012, after listening to my heart, my cardiologist says my heart is normal and I no longer have cardiomyopathy.  All of this is confusing to me.  Can I be cured of cardiomyopathy or was the diagnosis not correct from the start?


This discussion is related to Transient cardiomyopathy.
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159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
Interesting comment, let me ask you a question as you are so much better informed than I on this subject. I have always understood that heart muscle that is hypertrophic for any cause other than excessive training does not remodel itself back to normal wall thicknesses. Even in the case of high BP, once the walls have thickened they will not reduce.

Am I understanding that correctly or do they remodel, it's very confusing and I defer to your knowledge:)
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Avatar universal
I want to add something else here. If the cardiomyopathy is a SECONDARY form of cardiomyopathy, then it can improve if the primaryt cause for the cardiomyopathy is treated. Most adults who have a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have it as a secondary issue to high blood pressure. If the hbp is under control than the hypertrophied heart can improve. If the cardiomyopathy is genetic in nature which makes it a primary issue instead of a secondary, then there isn't going to be improvement because all muscle diseases, in the true sense, have no cure; they are all progressive in nature.
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976897 tn?1379167602
I know this is the extreme but in the UK it was found that when fitting patients with assist pumps who are in desperate need of transplant, many were able to be removed from the transplant list because the heart recovered enough. It would appear if given help, the heart muscle is good at recovery unless of course it's damaged.
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1756321 tn?1547095325
I watched this tonight on mystery diagnosis. It was stated one third of cardiomyopathy patients get better, one third stay the same and one third get worse. Good choice. :)
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159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
Interesting situation. As grendslori mentioned, most cardiomyopathies are not considered curable. Having said that, there are some that have a known underlying condition that once resolved will allow the heart to remodel itself which is the case with some forms of dilated cardiomyopathies. I don't think that hypertrophic cardiomyopathies are curable, but can be managed. I would think that your high EF% would make a case that it may have been misdiagnosed originally, although a cath is usually pretty accurate.

Below is an interesting articles about the different kinds of cardiomyopathies. What I found interesting was the statement that is some cases patient recover for no know reason. Take a look;

http://heartdisease.about.com/lw/Health-Medicine/Conditions-and-diseases/Overview-of-Adults-and-Cardiomyopathy.htm

Hope this helps,

Jon
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Avatar universal
The only 'transient cardiomyopathy that I have ever heard of is Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, also referred to as "Broken Heart Syndrome". This form of cardiomyopathy lasts for about a week. True cardiomyopathy is not curable as muscle diseases have no cure, that includes the heart. The word literally means: cardio-heart, myo-muscle and opathy-disease. Viral cardiomyopathies cause thinning of the heart muscle walls which affect the pumping action of the heart. The EF% are never normal in this form of cardiomyopathy. Normal is 50-70%. You are smack in the middle of normal heart function. I think I would consider finding myself a new cardiologist at this point. Most cardiologists are well aware of the fact that cardiomyopathies are not curable. Seek another opinion.  
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Avatar universal
Thanks.  My EF never went below 60%, so I'm wondering if it was really cardiomyopathy, or perhaps that transient cardiomyopathy.
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Avatar universal
Very interesting. In my knowledge you have cardiomyopathy ,-if once had- only well compensated. If once your heart is weak it cannot be cured.
I had/have cardiomyopathy, once EFwas 20% and went up to normal about 6 months or so.
I had also “probably viral” ….but other factors like family and lots of stress in long year’s before.
No one ever told me I am cured. The other way around. If my BP is higher my family doctor gives me more and new pills, by saying: I have to because your heart, or :if the cardiologist would see that ,so I must give you more pills .

If I was you I would ask that at the expert forum here on this board. After all we are all diferent so I don’t know if what I am saying about my case is the fact for others also?
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