Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: a common but mystifying cause of heart failure.

Abstract

Incidence and impact Dilated cardiomyopathy has an incidence of more than 36.5 cases per 100,000 persons, 1 and it accounts for nearly 50,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths each year in the United States. 2 The incidence has increased over the past 5 to 10 years, perhaps due both to the development of noninvasive diagnostic tools and to improved physician awareness.

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in pregnancy

“…IDC patients have an increased risk for thromboembolism and prophylaxis is recommended in the literature [1, 3,4]. In 1999, Chan et al reported the case of a young woman of 27 years who developed IDC at 18 weeks of gestation and evolved with an embolic stroke postoperative cesarean section, despite the use of prophylaxis [6].…”

“…Medications such as beta blockers, loop diuretics, vasodilators (hydralazine or nitrates) and digitalis (digoxin) are well tolerated during pregnancy. The nonpharmacological treatment suggested for this period should include sodium and water restriction and moderate exercise [1][2][3].…”

“…The changes are predominant cardiomegaly with dilatation of one or both ventricles and impaired systolic function, due to reduction in ventricular contractility [1][2][3].…”

“…In many cases, evolution can be fatal in a short time, highlighting the importance of diagnosis and clinical management and obstetrics [1][2][3]6]. …”

Anaesthetic management of renal transplant surgery in patients of dilated cardiomyopathy with ejection fraction less than 40%

“…DCM in itself has poor prognosis with only 25-40% survival at end of five years [14,15]. The predictors of poor prognosis are an ejection fraction of less than 25%, left ventricular end diastolic dilatation, a hypokinetic left ventricle, and presence of mitral and tricuspid regurgitation [14].…”