Microcephaly (from New Latin microcephalia, from Ancient Greek μικρός mikrós "small" and κεφαλή kephalé "head") is a medical condition involving a smaller-than-normal head. Microcephaly may be present at birth or it may develop in the first few years of life. Since brain growth is correlated with head growth, people with this disorder often have an intellectual disability, poor motor function, poor speech, abnormal facial features, seizures and dwarfism.The disorder is caused by a disruption to the genetic processes that form the brain early in pregnancy, though the cause is not identified in most cases. Many genetic syndromes can result in microcephaly, including chromosomal and single-gene conditions, though almost always in combination with other symptoms. Mutations that result solely in microcephaly (primary microcephaly) exist but are less common. External toxins to the embryo, such as alcohol during pregnancy or vertically transmitted infections, can also result in microcephaly. Microcephaly serves as an important neurological indication or warning sign, but no uniformity exists in its definition. It is usually defined as a head circumference (HC) more than two standard deviations below the mean for age and sex. Some academics advocate defining it as head circumference more than three standard deviations below the mean for the age and sex.There is no specific treatment that returns the head size to normal. In general, life expectancy for individuals with microcephaly is reduced, and the prognosis for normal brain function is poor. Occasional cases develop normal intelligence and grow normally (apart from persistently small head circumference).
Diagnosis
Among the diagnostic procedures done to determine a cardiomyopathy are:
Physical exam
Family history
Blood test
ECG
Echocardiogram
Stress test
Genetic testing

Classification
Cardiomyopathies can be classified using different criteria:
Primary/intrinsic cardiomyopathiesCongenital
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
Left ventricular noncompaction
Ion Channelopathies like the Long QT syndrome and the very rare Short QT syndrome
Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
Mixed
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM)
Brugada syndrome
Acquired
Stress cardiomyopathy
Myocarditis, inflammation of and injury to heart tissue due in part to its infiltration by lymphocytes and monocytes
Eosinophilic myocarditis, inflammation of and injury to heart tissue due in part to its infiltration by eosinophils
Ischemic cardiomyopathy (not formally included in the classification, due to ischemic cardiomyopathy being a direct result of another cardiac problem)
Secondary/extrinsic cardiomyopathiesMetabolic/storage
Fabrys disease
Hemochromatosis
Endomyocardial
Endomyocardial fibrosis
Hypereosinophilic syndrome
Endocrine
Diabetes mellitus
Hyperthyroidism
Acromegaly
Cardiofacial
Noonan syndrome
Neuromuscular
Muscular dystrophy
Friedreichs ataxia
Other
Obesity-associated cardiomyopathy

Treatment
Treatment may include suggestion of lifestyle changes to better manage the condition. Treatment depends on the type of cardiomyopathy and condition of disease, but may include medication (conservative treatment) or iatrogenic/implanted pacemakers for slow heart rates, defibrillators for those prone to fatal heart rhythms, ventricular assist devices (VADs) for severe heart failure, or catheter ablation for recurring dysrhythmias that cannot be eliminated by medication or mechanical cardioversion. The goal of treatment is often symptom relief, and some patients may eventually require a heart transplant. See also
Myopathy, a condition affecting skeletal muscles
Fibrosing cardiomyopathy, a disease in great apes
Basic Research in Cardiology

References
Further reading
Boudina, Sihem; Abel, Evan Dale (1 March 2010). "Diabetic cardiomyopathy, causes and effects". Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders. 11 (1): 31–39. doi:10.1007/s11154-010-9131-7. ISSN 1389-9155. PMC 2914514. PMID 20180026. Marian, A. J.; Roberts, Robert (1 April 2001). "The Molecular Genetic Basis for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy".