Re: diagnosing Cardiomyopathy

Posted By Rex Boyer on April 18, 1999 at 20:03:25
Husband, age 53, diagnosed with cardiomypathy six months ago.  We were not told of this condition until last week.  Learned that he has only 25% of heart usage remaining.  Question:  if we were told of his condition at that time (six months ago) would his heart  of gotten so bad to date?  In other words, would the medication he is taking now been given to him six months ago have saved his heart to some degree.
Please, please answer.  Obviously we are frightened to learn that he has lost 75% of his heart usage .  What can we expect from medications? Strengthen? God, We Hope!.
Thank you.

[CCF Cardio MD - MTR]

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - MTR on April 21, 1999 at 15:55:30
Dear Rex, thank you for your question.  I don't know enough about your husband to answer the questions you pose, but I can provide some general information.  Cardiomyopathy is usually an irreversible process and is caused by either blockages in the coronary arteries leading to heart attacks or systemic conditions that decrease the pumping function of the heart with normal coronary arteries.  Medications used to treat cardiomyopathy improve the symptoms of congestive heart failure, but rarely reverse the underlying process that caused cardiomyopathy.  I suspect that number "25%" you were told referred to your husband's ejection fraction (EF).  The normal EF is >= 55%, so your husband hasn't lost 75% of his heart function.  If his EF is 25%, it would abnormally low.  For more specific information, I suggest that you speak with his cardiologist.
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.  Good luck!
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.











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