Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy (car-dee-o-my-op-a-thee) is a condition where the pumping action of the heart is lower than normal.
Heart failure is the term applied to the combination of symptoms of tiredness, shortness of breath, and swelling or puffiness. Heart failure most commonly results from a condition known as cardiomyopathy.
Types of Cardiomyopathy
Ischemic cardiomyopathy the heart’s vessels are blocked and the muscle does not get enough blood flow.
Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy the heart’s vessels are normal but the heart muscle itself is sick. This has many possible causes (virus, toxins, high blood pressure, etc.)
Heart Failure
It is important to understand that heart failure is a term used to describe these symptoms and is not the same as cardiomyopathy. Your doctor may have already told you that your heart pumps poorly. How well you feel is not always related to how much blood your heart pumps, but by how the rest of your body adjusts to the "sick" heart.
Heart Failure is like other health problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. It can not be cured, but can be managed or controlled.
Take Care of Yourself and Managing Heart Failure:
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