Cardiomyopathy

[sukumar794]

I had a heart attck 5 months back. Thrombolytic measures were resorted to at the hospital. Now I am recovering from the disease with proper medications,life style changes and simple exercises. My doctor informs me that my heart muscles are weakened. Is it a condition which can be labelled as cardiomyopathy?

[Flycaster305]

Quoting Wikipedia, "Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a weakness in the muscle of the heart due to inadequate oxygen delivery to the myocardium with coronary artery disease being the most common cause."

Ejection Fraction (EF) is a common way of measuring heart weakness, with average being somewhere between 50 - 75%, e.g. the %age of blood that is pumped out of the left ventricle as apposed to how much entered the chamber.  The fact that you had Thrombolytic measures speaks of blockages, and blockages with a resulting heart attack usually means that some heart muscle died.  Around the dead tissue one usually has weakened heart muscle tissue, and that is what you want to make healthy again, and with good drug regimens like Coreg, Altace, etc, coupled with exercise, you can strengthen your heart and increase the EF.

I find definitions of heart trouble rather intimidating.  The first time Congestive Heart Failure was used in my case I went into quite a funk.  You obviously are making changes, exercising, and taking meds and I'd concentrate on that rather than the terminology if you can.  I suggest you get the Operative Report when you had your heart procedures and see what the EF was, and when your good heart-healthy practices strengthen your heart and the EF raises, you will have something to cheer about.  

Also, keep in mind that having a heart attack is a huge event in your life and it takes most people at least a year for those words to quit stinging.  You are doing the right things, concentrate on getting healthy rather than the words.  Good luck to you, Sukumar.

[sukumar794]

Thanks a lot for the kind words of solace and expert opinion.A few days following the heart attack(5months back) I had an Echo test which revealed an EF of just 26%. I have not yet reassessed it.I hope the EF should have improved. Whatever be the term assigned to my heart condition, can I be optimistic about  a full recovery relying entirely on the prescribed medications, light exercises and changed life style.?Please be frank about your reflections.

[bgawk]

At 55, I just had my second cardiac event in 5 years. The first time I passed a nuclear test but was not forced into a cath test. This time I gave in to the cath test and was diagnosed with stress induced cardiac myopathy and a LV blood clot (although my arteries looked really clear on the cath test). Last time I thought it was due to spending too much time in a hot tub. Ejection fraction was OK no heart damage occurred and EKG returned to normal. But I did make some lifestyle changes by getting all my cholestrol readings to an outstanding low level without statins, exercising by walking almost every day,  eating more vegetables, etc. so after a while I stopped worrying about it.This time I made the same stupid mistake of spending too long in a hot tub but my weakened heart was probably first weakened by Stress and anxiety. My encouragement? Do the best you can in eliminating all cardiac risk factors as much as you can no matter how much damage or recovery you get. If I hadn't changed my life I might be dead now!