Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It Affects the BodyTypesWho Does It Affect?SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsOutlook
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Affects the Body
Types
Who Does It Affect?
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Complications
Outlook
This article will provide an overview of cardiomyopathy, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and outlook for the condition.
Natalia Gdovskaia / Getty Images
How Does Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Affect the Body?
Types of Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Restrictive cardiomyopathy manifests when the heart’s ventricles lose their flexibility. This can occur, for example, when abnormal tissue like scar tissue displaces healthy heart muscle.
There are several types of restrictive cardiomyopathy. However, the two main classifications are primary and secondary restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Primary or Idiopathic Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Primary cases may be genetic and, in many cases, are associated with a worse prognosis than the secondary type.
Secondary Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Secondary forms are associated with underlying diseases or conditions that lead to the development of restrictive cardiomyopathy. Common underlying causes include:
Role of Genes in hATTR Amyloidosis
Who Does Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Affect?
Restrictive cardiomyopathy is rare and can affect individuals of various ages, genders, and backgrounds. It is not limited to a specific demographic group. However, it tends to affect older people.
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Symptoms
Restrictive cardiomyopathy can lead to a range of signs and symptoms, including:
It’s important to note that the signs and symptoms of restrictive cardiomyopathy can vary depending on the severity of the condition and the underlying cause. Additionally, some individuals with this condition may not have any noticeable symptoms in the early stages.
What Causes Restrictive Cardiomyopathy?
There are many causes of restrictive cardiomyopathy, which may include:
Infiltrative restrictive cardiomyopathy
This type involves the infiltration of abnormal substances, such as amyloid protein, into the heart muscle. This infiltration results in the stiffening of the heart walls.
Medical conditions that may cause infiltrative restrictive cardiomyopathy include:
Storage disorders
Some rare genetic disorders, such asFabry disease, can lead to the accumulation of specific substances calledmyocyteswithin the heart muscle, causing restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Radiation-induced restrictive cardiomyopathy
Exposure to high-dose radiation therapy, often used to treat cancer, can damage the heart muscle and lead to restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Connective tissue disorders
Some cancer treatments
Certain chemotherapy drugs can have toxic effects on the heart muscle.This condition is often called “chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy.” Over time, the heart muscle can become weakened and stiff, leading to restrictive cardiomyopathy.
How Is Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Diagnosed?
Diagnosing restrictive cardiomyopathy typically involves a combination of medical history assessment, physical examination, and various diagnostic tests to evaluate the structure and function of the heart. Your provider will gather your medical history and perform a physical examination. An exam may reveal signs of heart failure or signs of fluid retention.
Here are the key steps and tests involved in the diagnostic process:
Sometimes, a biopsy of the heart tissue is required to make a diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy.
In some cases, other imaging techniques, such as nuclear imaging orpositron emission tomography (PET) scans, may be used to assess heart function and detect conditions like cardiac amyloidosis.
Diagnosing restrictive cardiomyopathy can be complex because the condition often has multiple potential causes, and the presentation of the disease can vary. The diagnostic process aims to determine the underlying cause and assess the extent of heart dysfunction, guiding the development of a treatment plan.
How Is Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Treated?
The following therapeutic approaches are often used to manage symptoms and reduce potential complications:
Additionally, other treatment modalities may be explored based on the specific subtype of cardiomyopathy, such as:
Can Surgery Treat Restrictive Cardiomyopathy?
If heart function is severe and causes debilitating symptoms, aheart transplantmay be used as a last resort treatment to improve your prognosis and quality of life.
Does Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Cause Complications?
Restrictive cardiomyopathy can lead to various complications, some of which can be serious and impact a person’s overall health and quality of life. These complications typically arise from the impaired ability of the heart to pump blood effectively and fill properly during the cardiac cycle.
Common complications of restrictive cardiomyopathy include:
What’s the Outlook for Someone With Restrictive Cardiomyopathy?
People diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy frequently experience progressive deterioration of heart function, often leading to heart failure. Complications such as irregular heart rhythms or “leaky” heart values may additionally manifest in some cases.
Heart transplantation may be a potential treatment option for some with restrictive cardiomyopathy. The prognosis is closely tied to the underlying cause of the condition. However, outcomes are often poor. Nevertheless, there are instances where individuals surpass a 10-year survival mark post-diagnosis.
Summary
Complications often arise from the condition’s impact on the heart’s pumping ability, leading to heart failure, arrhythmias, and fluid overload. Receiving an early diagnosis is essential to optimal management.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.MedlinePlus.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiomyopathy types.Gowda SN, Ali HJ, Hussain I.Overview of restrictive cardiomyopathies. 2022;18(2):4. doi:10.14797/mdcvj.1078MedlinePlus.Amyloidosis.MedlinePlus.Sarcoidosis.MedlinePlus.Hemochromatosis.National Organization of Rare Disorders.Endomyocardial fibrosis.American Heart Association.Symptoms and diagnosis of cardiomyopathy.Belzile‐Dugas E, Eisenberg MJ.Radiation‐induced cardiovascular disease: review of an underrecognized pathology. JAHA. 2021;10(18):e021686. doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.021686MedlinePlus.Scleroderma.American Heart Association.What causes restrictive cardiomyopathy.Susan E Piper, Theresa A McDonagh,Chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy.Eur Cardiol Review2015;10(1):19–24. doi:10.15420/ecr.2015.10.01.19Johns Hopkins.Right heart catheterization with heart tissue biopsy.Muchtar E, Blauwet LA, Gertz MA.Restrictive cardiomyopathy: genetics, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy.Circ Res. 2017;121(7):819-837. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310982
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.MedlinePlus.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiomyopathy types.Gowda SN, Ali HJ, Hussain I.Overview of restrictive cardiomyopathies. 2022;18(2):4. doi:10.14797/mdcvj.1078MedlinePlus.Amyloidosis.MedlinePlus.Sarcoidosis.MedlinePlus.Hemochromatosis.National Organization of Rare Disorders.Endomyocardial fibrosis.American Heart Association.Symptoms and diagnosis of cardiomyopathy.Belzile‐Dugas E, Eisenberg MJ.Radiation‐induced cardiovascular disease: review of an underrecognized pathology. JAHA. 2021;10(18):e021686. doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.021686MedlinePlus.Scleroderma.American Heart Association.What causes restrictive cardiomyopathy.Susan E Piper, Theresa A McDonagh,Chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy.Eur Cardiol Review2015;10(1):19–24. doi:10.15420/ecr.2015.10.01.19Johns Hopkins.Right heart catheterization with heart tissue biopsy.Muchtar E, Blauwet LA, Gertz MA.Restrictive cardiomyopathy: genetics, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy.Circ Res. 2017;121(7):819-837. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310982
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.MedlinePlus.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiomyopathy types.Gowda SN, Ali HJ, Hussain I.Overview of restrictive cardiomyopathies. 2022;18(2):4. doi:10.14797/mdcvj.1078MedlinePlus.Amyloidosis.MedlinePlus.Sarcoidosis.MedlinePlus.Hemochromatosis.National Organization of Rare Disorders.Endomyocardial fibrosis.American Heart Association.Symptoms and diagnosis of cardiomyopathy.Belzile‐Dugas E, Eisenberg MJ.Radiation‐induced cardiovascular disease: review of an underrecognized pathology. JAHA. 2021;10(18):e021686. doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.021686MedlinePlus.Scleroderma.American Heart Association.What causes restrictive cardiomyopathy.Susan E Piper, Theresa A McDonagh,Chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy.Eur Cardiol Review2015;10(1):19–24. doi:10.15420/ecr.2015.10.01.19Johns Hopkins.Right heart catheterization with heart tissue biopsy.Muchtar E, Blauwet LA, Gertz MA.Restrictive cardiomyopathy: genetics, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy.Circ Res. 2017;121(7):819-837. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310982
American Heart Association.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.
MedlinePlus.Restrictive cardiomyopathy.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiomyopathy types.
Gowda SN, Ali HJ, Hussain I.Overview of restrictive cardiomyopathies. 2022;18(2):4. doi:10.14797/mdcvj.1078
MedlinePlus.Amyloidosis.
MedlinePlus.Sarcoidosis.
MedlinePlus.Hemochromatosis.
National Organization of Rare Disorders.Endomyocardial fibrosis.
American Heart Association.Symptoms and diagnosis of cardiomyopathy.
Belzile‐Dugas E, Eisenberg MJ.Radiation‐induced cardiovascular disease: review of an underrecognized pathology. JAHA. 2021;10(18):e021686. doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.021686
MedlinePlus.Scleroderma.
American Heart Association.What causes restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Susan E Piper, Theresa A McDonagh,Chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy.Eur Cardiol Review2015;10(1):19–24. doi:10.15420/ecr.2015.10.01.19
Johns Hopkins.Right heart catheterization with heart tissue biopsy.
Muchtar E, Blauwet LA, Gertz MA.Restrictive cardiomyopathy: genetics, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy.Circ Res. 2017;121(7):819-837. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310982
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