Re-diagnosed with cardiomyopathy?

Posted by Victoria on June 21, 1999 at 13:50:51
Back in December 1993 I was put on heart meds after being diagnosed with idopathic cardiomyopathy with an ejection fraction of 32-35. In June of 1994 the cardiologist released me since he felt that I was fine and it was only an isolated incident. Just recently I started having the same symptoms as I did in 1993 and was diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy with an EF of 30-35.My father was diagnosed with DCM and my sister was just recently diagnosed with the same thing.Would you surmise that this DCM is genetically predisposed and what cautions should the doctors take this time so that I do not get in the same shape as I am right now with shortness of breath,palpitations and vague chest pain. I am so very scared that they will say that I am cured again like before and wind up with even more damage. My sister and my father only have between 20-25% heart function.Also I calculate that I lost about 50% of my heart function if the normal EF is 60-65. is this correct? Thank you very much.
Victoria  

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD JMF on June 21, 1999 at 17:24:16
Dear Victoria,
Thank you for your questions.  Indeed some cardiomyopathy are genetic.  Unfortunately we do not fully understand all the genetics associated with cardiomyopathy.  It sounds as if your symptoms have progressed and I would re address this with your physician.  You may consider having you and your sister as well as father being more extensively evaluated in terms of genetic screening.  
As far as your symptoms, we cannot "cure" cardiomyopathy, we can only limit the symptomatic progression of disease and sometime we need to reassess our medications and consider stronger in patient medications to give you a boost.  Given your extensive family history and the progression of your symptoms I would recommend that you speak to a heart failure/cardiomyopathy expert to assist you.
I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician
can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online
by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology
staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.