Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a marked deterioration in the ability of the heart muscle to contract. This can lead to heart failure. The causes of many types of cardiomyopathy are still not fully understood, but some causes have been identified, and these have included alcohol, toxins, systemic diseases, and congenital conditions such as HOCM. Types of cardiomyopathy are described according to how they affect the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy can cause the heart to enlarge (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), restrict the heart’s blood flow pathways (constrictive cardiomyopathy), or cause enlargement of the heart and affect its beating efficiency (dilated cardiomyopathy).[57] HOCM is often undiagnosed and can cause sudden death in young athletes. [9]