Where Does Cardiomyopathy Affect?

Any disorder that affects the heart muscle is called a cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy causes the heart to lose its ability to pump blood well. In some cases, the heart rhythm also becomes disturbed. This leads to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats).

What parts of the heart does cardiomyopathy affect?

It mostly affects the muscle of your heart's main pumping chamber (left ventricle). Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can develop at any age, but the condition tends to be more severe if it occurs during childhood. Most people with this type of cardiomyopathy have a family history of the disease.

Where is cardiomyopathy most common?

Dilated cardiomyopathy is more common in blacks than in whites and in males than in females. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is thought to be the most common inherited or genetic heart disease.