Heart failure - Heart muscle disease

Heart failure

Heart muscle disease

The medical term for diseases in the heart muscle is cardiomyopathy.

Some people are born with a disease in their heart muscle. Other things that can cause damage to your heart muscle include:

Source:
Poole-Wilson PA.
History, definition, and classification of heart failure.
In: Heart failure: scientific principles and clinical practice. Churchill Livingstone, London, UK; 1997.

infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.

Infections (such as HIV)
Drinking too much alcohol
Some drugs, including cocaine.

Sometimes, doctors can't tell what caused the damage.

If your heart muscle is damaged, it usually means that the upper and lower chambers are unable to stretch and tighten properly as blood enters and leaves them. Your heart muscle gets bigger but it doesn't work as well as it should.

To learn more, see What does my heart do?

Sources for the information on this page:

Poole-Wilson PA.History, definition, and classification of heart failure.In: Heart failure: scientific principles and clinical practice. Churchill Livingstone, London, UK; 1997.

This information was last updated on Jul 10, 2009

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