DCM

Posted By  CCF Cardio MD SK on February 12, 1998 at 08:22:32:

In Reply to: DCM posted by patty on February 05, 1998 at 05:04:57:

: In 1996 i was diagnosed with a mildly dilated LV, enlarged LA, mitral and aortic regurgation, both mild (grade II blowing systolic murmur) and mild mitral annular calcification.  I was placed on an Altace and my last echo shows that my LV in now normal size and my EF is normal.  However, my left atrium remains enlarged.  Whould the MV be causing this?  I was diagnosed at age 22 with the murmur.  Does an enlarged atrium mean I still have DCM?  
  Thank you

[CCF CARDIO MD SK]

Dear Patty,

The term dilated cardiomyopathy is used to describe a condition where the heart is enlarged and the pumping function of the heart is decreased. When one talks about the pumping function they usually  refer to the pumping function of the left ventricle which is measured as an EF (Ejection Fraction). Atria are the upper chambers in the heart that store the venous blood and deliver it to the pumping chambers (ventricles), just before ventricles contract to send blood to different organs.

Since your LV is of normal size and has normal contractile function (EF), you do not have dilated cardiomyopathy. The left atrium can be enlarged due to various causes, DCM accounts for a very small percentage of all cases. In other words, enlarged LA does not mean that you still have DCM. If there is significant LA enlargement other explanations for the same should be sought. Hypertension and mitral valve dysfunction are the leading causes of  enlarged LA. Echocardiography can be very useful to sort this out.
I hope I have answered your question.