Cardiomyopathy occurs due to any disorder of the heart muscle in
which the heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively. In
some instances, the heart rhythm becomes disturbed and leads to
arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats). Cardiomyopathy can be due to
a number of causes, including viral infections and certain
medications. Often, the exact cause of the muscle disease is
never found. Cardiomyopathy differs from many of the other
disorders of the heart in several ways, including the following:
Cardiomyopathy can, and often does, occur in the young. The
condition tends to be progressive and sometimes worsens fairly
quickly. It may be associated with diseases involving other
organs, as well as the heart. Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause
for heart transplantation. Cardiomyopathy prevents the heart
muscle from pumping enough blood to meet the body's needs. Viral
infections that infect the heart are a major cause of
cardiomyopathy. In some instances, cardiomyopathy is a result of
another disease or its treatme