What Is Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy?
Nonischemic cardiomyopathy is disease of the heart not associated with coronary artery disease, explains Healthline. It manifests in either mechanical or electrical dysfunction of the heart.
Nonischemic cardiomyopathy has many possible causes, such as genetics or resulting from other diseases, according to a report published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. For example, nonischemic cardiomyopathy is secondary to Gaucher disease or heavy metal toxicity. In cases where nonischemic cardiomyopathy is the primary problem, it can be classified genetically, acquired or mixed. When occurring genetically, it is further classified as hypertrophic cardiomopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, glycogen storage disease, Ion channel disease or hemochromatosis. Nonischemic cardiomyopathy can be acquired, such as with stress cardiomyopathy, tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy or in infants or insulin-dependent mothers. Finally, the disease can be caused by a mix of environmental and genetic factors, categorized as dilated cardiomyopathy.
Hypertrophic nonischemic cardiomyopathy is a genetic disease that causes the heart walls to thicken and restrict blood flow, states Healthline. Also genetic, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia occurs when one chamber of the heart becomes fatty and fibrous, causing the heart to beat abnormally. Dilated arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is caused by both environmental and genetic factors, occurring when the heart weakens and thins. As a result, the chambers dilate, causing the heart to grow.