Patient/caregiver was instructed regarding complications of cardiomyopathy as follows:
- Heart failure: Persistent back-up of fluid in the heart chambers can lead to increased workload on the heart, progressive deterioration of heart function, further weakening of heart muscle, and heart failure. Patients can present with symptoms of heart failure, such as, fluid retention in the chest leading to difficulty in gas exchange in the lungs, swelling of the extremities with pitting edema, and grossly limited exercise tolerance with exacerbation of episodes of shortness of breath.
- Arrhythmia: Damaged heart muscle, secondary to poor blood and oxygen supply, can lead to palpitations and arrhythmias. Individuals with history of arrhythmia can be at increased risk for presentation with fluttering in the chest, abnormal heartbeat, poorly felt pulse, dizziness, chest pain, altered levels of consciousness, and fainting.
- Blood clot formation: Compromised heart function with fluid back-up, in individuals with cardiomyopathy, can increase the risk for blood clot formation. A case of coexisting arrhythmia can increase the risk for clot significantly. These blood clots floating in circulation can be deposited in any vital organ as emboli, obstruct the blood flow, and can result in serious complications such as myocardial infarction and stroke.
