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Types
How We Can Help You
The term cardiomyopathy refers to a group of heart muscle diseases that interfere with the heart’s ability to pump blood. Different types of cardiomyopathies affect the heart in different ways. Depending on the type, the condition may cause your heart muscle to weaken, enlarge, thicken, or stiffen.
Some cardiomyopathies — known as inherited cardiomyopathies — run in families, which means they are caused by a difference in genetic makeup that can be passed down from parents to their children. Determining if you have an inherited cardiomyopathy is important because it may impact your treatment plan and have implications for your whole family.
Our team of specialists provides world-class care for all types of inherited cardiomyopathy. We specialize in recognizing genetic heart disease and aim to catch it as early as possible. We work to slow or prevent disease progression when possible, reduce symptoms, and help patients enjoy the lives they want to live. We also work to help protect families with tailored screening services.
Treatment for Cardiomyopathy
We take a team approach to diagnosing and treating cardiomyopathy. Our cardiologists specialize in inherited cardiomyopathies and work with electrophysiologists (specialists in the heart’s electrical system), genetic counselors, advanced practice providers, and registered nurses. These experts work with you to provide care to you and for your whole family, both during your visits and between appointments. The team uses your medical history, family history, and heart test results to assess possible causes of your cardiomyopathy and to recommend treatment options tailored to your specific situation.
We consider you a close partner as we work together to develop a care plan with the goal of meeting your specific needs, improving your symptoms, and protecting your health. With proper care, many people can live long and full lives with a cardiomyopathy diagnosis.
When recommending treatment, we always consider the least invasive approach first. Options range from lifestyle support and medications to implantable devices, procedures, and surgeries. We also consider clinical trials for new, promising treatments when possible.
Specific treatment depends on the type of cardiomyopathy you have:
Comprehensive Support Services
We understand the challenges of living with a chronic heart condition. Our team of psychologists, specially trained in the needs of people with cardiovascular disease, can help you adjust to your diagnosis or make difficult treatment decisions. They can help you manage health-related stress and assist you in implementing important lifestyle adjustments.
Our doctors and genetic counselors research the causes of familial cardiomyopathy, allowing us to help you understand your family’s risk for inherited heart disease.
What is Cardiomyopathy?
Types of Inherited Cardiomyopathy
We treat all types of inherited cardiomyopathy, which differ in their specific genetic causes, appearance on heart tests, symptoms, complications, and treatments.
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM): This type of cardiomyopathy causes heart muscle disease and serious electrical changes that lead to life-threatening heart rhythms.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC): ARVC is a rare, inherited disease that affects the heart muscle and has a more serious effect on the heart’s electrical system. It is associated with the replacement of heart muscle by fibrous or fatty tissue. Treatments may include medications, procedures, and implantable devices to protect you from life-threatening arrhythmia. Learn more about arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM): In some cases, the heart muscle weakens and the main pumping chamber of the heart enlarges, causing the heart to pump less effectively. Dilated cardiomyopathy has both acquired and inherited causes. Up to half of people with unexplained (sometimes called idiopathic or non-ischemic) dilated cardiomyopathy actually have an inherited genetic cause. If needed, treatments may include medication, lifestyle adjustments, implantable devices, or cardiac surgery. Read more about dilated cardiomyopathy.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): Typically inherited, this cardiomyopathy causes thickening of the heart muscle. This thickening can interfere with the flow of blood as it leaves the heart. HCM can cause other changes to the heart, including abnormal heart valve function and harmful heart rhythms. Treatments may include medications, implantable devices, surgery, lifestyle adjustments, and individualized exercise recommendations to keep you safe. Find out more about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM): With restrictive cardiomyopathy, the chambers of the heart become stiff and cannot fill normally with blood, which leads to less oxygenated blood available for the body. The cause is often genetic, and treatments vary depending on the cause of the stiffness. One genetic cause is familial ATTR amyloidosis.
Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC): LVNC occurs when the heart muscle wall in the main pumping chamber (left ventricle) looks spongy. Some people whose heart appears this way do not have any problems. But if the heart muscle appears or functions abnormally in other ways, it indicates a condition called non-compaction cardiomyopathy, which can cause heart failure, arrhythmia, and stroke. Learn more about left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy.
Stress cardiomyopathy: This condition is sometimes called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It is a weakening of the heart that comes on rapidly, typically triggered by severe emotional or physical stress. In many cases, people recover completely from this type of cardiomyopathy.
Viral cardiomyopathy: This condition is sometimes called myocarditis and is a rapid-onset weakening of the heart caused by an infection or the immune system’s response to infection. When someone presents with an unexplained cardiomyopathy, a virus is sometimes suspected as the cause. In many cases, these unexplained cardiomyopathies actually have a genetic cause. Our team can help work out this likelihood.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy: Sometimes, dilated cardiomyopathy appears for the first time during pregnancy or soon after delivery. In this case, we usually describe the condition as peripartum cardiomyopathy. A significant portion of peripartum cardiomyopathy has been shown to result from an underlying genetic risk that was triggered by the physical and hormonal changes that occur in pregnancy, delivery, and while breastfeeding. Our team provides a careful evaluation, keeping inherited causes in mind.
Our Clinics
Our center provides world-leading care for genetic diseases of the heart and blood vessels. We bring together specialized cardiologists, genetic counselors, cardiovascular advanced practice providers (APPs), specially trained registered nurses, and other experts to provide all the support you and your family need.
Stanford cardiomyopathy specialists pioneered many of the most current therapies and continue to improve treatment. We bring together the range of experienced specialists you need for successful care.
Heart Clinic 1, Clinic A21
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: 650-736-7878 Getting Here »
Stanford cardiomyopathy specialists pioneered many of the most current therapies and continue to improve treatment. We bring together the range of experienced specialists you need for successful care.
RELATED CLINICS
2nd Floor, Room A260
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: 650-736-7878
2nd Floor, Room A21
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: 650-723-5468
Suite 150
Pleasanton, CA 94588
Phone: 925-278-7017
To schedule an appointment, please call: 650-721-4363