CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Cardiomyopathy
HEART MUSCLE DISEASE
Our leading cardiac specialists can diagnose, manage and treat symptoms of cardiomyopathy — a disorder of heart muscle
What is cardiomyopathy?
Cardiomyopathy is an umbrella term for diseases of the heart muscle, where the walls of the heart chambers either become stretched and thin or thickened and stiff. This makes it hard for the heart to pump blood around the body and can lead to heart failure. Cardiomyopathy is often an inherited condition.
Need to know
Symptoms of cardiomyopathy include:
- extreme tiredness
- rapid or fluttering heartbeat
- chest pressure
- dizziness or loss of consciousness
- breathlessness while resting or moving around
- swollen legs and ankles
- a bloated stomach due to fluid build up
- These symptoms will get worse over time, if left untreated.
Your consultant will discuss your symptoms with you and help to make a diagnosis. They may order further tests.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG). This measures electrical impulses from your heart. It detects abnormal heart rhythms, which can cause cardiomyopathy.
- Echocardiogram. This looks at heart muscle and valve function.
- Cardiac MRI scan. This explores the extent of the damage and looks for abnormalities inside the heart muscle itself.
- Cardiac catheterisation. A biopsy of your heart, which is taken through a catheter and sent for analysis.
There are many ways to manage cardiomyopathy.
- Medication: this can improve your heart's ability to pump, remove excess fluid and lower blood pressure.
- Implanted devices: these are surgically implanted and include pacemakers to control arrhythmia, and sometimes to improve heart muscle function. In severe cases, ventricular assist devices (VAD) may be used to support the heart.
- Surgery: a heart transplant can be used in end-stage heart failure, and rarely, a septal myectomy can be used to remove portions of thickened heart muscle.
Our Cardiomyopathy locations
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
The Cardiac Clinic
London Bridge Hospital SE1 2PR London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
The Harborne Hospital
Mindelsohn Way B15 2FQ Birmingham
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.