Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis - Medtick
Medtick

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis

What is it?

Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the walls of the heart muscles have become overstretched , thickened and/or stiff causing the heart to become less efficient in pumping blood out of the heart to around the body.

This condition tends to be inherited and is not caused by:

  • Blocked arteries (as in angina, coronary artery disease)
  • Valvular disease (Disease of the heart valves or poor function of the heart valves)
  • Inherited heart disease
  • This condition can affect children and Adults

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

  • The heart muscles cells enlarge causing the walls of the muscles to thicken and the chamber in the heart becomes smaller.
  • It mainly affects the bottom chamber of the heart – left ventricle.
  • The heart becomes less efficient in pumping blood because it can’t hold much blood, the walls can’t relax and stiffen.
  • The flow of the blood through the heart is also restricted and can cause a back pressure in the chamber.
  • This condition can lead to worsening heart failure and lead to arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation).
  • This condition can also put pressure on the heart valves which control the direction of the blood flow in the heart leading to heart valve disease.
  • This condition affect children and athletes because it does not always show symptoms.

Myocarditis

  • A disease where one has Inflammation of the myocardium (heart muscle).
  • Signs and Symptoms include:
    • Acute decompensation of heart failure.
    • S3 gallop (when cardiologist or medical doctor listen to the heart )
    • Jugular venous distention (bulging and stretched vein in the heart)
    • Peripheral oedema (water retention particularly ankles)
    • Tachycardia (fast heart beat)
  • In those with concomitant pericarditis, pericardial friction rub may be observed. Specific findings in special cases are:
  • Sarcoid myocarditis: lymphadenopathy, arrhythmias, sarcoid involvement in other organs
  • Acute rheumatic fever: associated signs, such as erythema marginatum, polyarthralgia, chorea, subcutaneous nodules (Jones criteria)
  • Hypersensitive/eosinophilic myocarditis: pruritic maculopapular rash and history of using offending drug
  • Giant cell myocarditis: sustained ventricular tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) in rapidly progressive heart failure.
  • Peripartum cardiomyopathy: heart failure developing in the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months following delivery

Cause

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Syndromes

Illicit drugs

Myocarditis

Medication

  • Chemotherapeutic drugs: doxorubicin and anthracyclines, streptomycin, cyclophosphamide, interleukin-2, anti-HER-2 receptor antibody/Herceptin
  • Antibiotics: penicillin, chloramphenicol, sulfonamides
  • Antihypertensive drugs: methyldopa, spironolactone
  • Antiseizure drugs: phenytoin, carbamazepine
  • Amphetamines, catecholamines
  • Chemicals: hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, arsenic, lead, phosphorus, mercury, cobalt

Illicit drugs

Symptoms

  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Short of breath and/or breathing difficulties (whether after exercise or not) and/or wheezing?
  • Lightheadedness?
  • Balance and dizziness problems and/or ‘fainting attacks’?
  • Chest pain and/or tight chest and/or pressure on chest and or chest discomfort?
  • Rapid heartbeat?
  • Heart palpitations and/or irregular heartbeats?
  • Coughing when lying down?
  • Fluid retention/bloated of abdomen?
  • High blood pressure?
  • Oedema or swelling of one’s legs and/or ankles and/or feet?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, please call for an ambulance if have or develop:

This condition can lead to:

A healthcare professional should consider if can’t explain an obvious cause:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

© Medtick - 2025. All Rights Reserved.