Patient/caregiver was instructed that damage and alteration to the cardiac muscle is the central element for development of cardiomyopathy.
The risk factors and causes for damage and alteration to the cardiac muscle could vary as follows:
- History of heart attack: Individuals with history of heart attack present with damaged heart muscle. The extent of damage can be proportional to the severity of the attack suffered. Damaged heart muscle can result in ineffective contractions, thus rendering the heart increasingly weaker and result in cardiomyopathy.
- Defective repair: Following an injury to heart muscle, abnormal scar tissue could be deposited occasionally during the natural repair process. This scar tissue weakens the heart muscle, resulting in ineffective contractions and cardiomyopathy.
- Damage to the heart muscle could also be due to factors such as, exposure to toxins, bacterial/viral/fungal infections of the heart muscle, alcohol abuse, uncontrolled diabetes, and iron overload. Damaged heart muscle can result in ineffective contractions, thus rendering the heart increasingly weaker and result in cardiomyopathy.
