Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, primarily affecting your heart's main pumping chamber (left ventricle). The left ventricle becomes enlarged (dilated) and can't pump blood to your body with as much force as a healthy heart can.
Dilated cardiomyopathy doesn't necessarily cause symptoms, but for some people the disease is life-threatening. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a common cause of heart failure, the inability of the heart to supply the body's tissue and organs with enough blood. Dilated cardiomyopathy may also cause irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), blood clots or sudden death.
Dilated cardiomyopathy may affect people of all ages, including infants and children. Treatments may be available for the underlying cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, or to improve blood flow and reduce symptoms.
Symptoms
If you have dilated cardiomyopathy, you're likely to have signs and symptoms when the disease has caused heart failure or arrhythmias. Dilated cardiomyopathy symptoms include:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you're active or lying down
- Reduced ability to exercise
- Lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting
- Persistent cough or wheezing, especially when lying down
- Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet
- Swelling of your abdomen (ascites)
- Sudden weight gain from fluid retention
- Lack of appetite
- Sensation of rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeats (palpitations)
- Pale skin
