cardiomyopathy
A doctor shows a patient a diagram of a healthy heart and one affected by cardiomyopathy.
Noun: A disease or disorder that specifically affects the heart muscle (myocardium), often impairing its ability to pump blood effectively. The cause is frequently unknown.
Cardiomyopathy is a medical term used to describe a group of conditions where the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thickened, or stiffened. It is typically used in clinical, diagnostic, and patient education contexts. - The doctor diagnosed the patient with dilated cardiomyopathy. - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes. - Treatment for cardiomyopathy often involves medication and lifestyle changes.
- Familial cardiomyopathy: Refers to forms of the disease that are inherited or have a genetic component.
- Ischemic cardiomyopathy: A type caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, usually from coronary artery disease. (Note: This is a compound term specifying a cause).
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy: A less common form where the heart muscle becomes rigid.
- Cardiomyopathic (adjective): Pertaining to or affected by cardiomyopathy.
- The biopsy showed cardiomyopathic changes in the tissue.
- Myocardiopathy: A less common synonym with the same meaning.
- Heart muscle disease: A descriptive, non-technical synonym.
This word has a single, specific medical meaning related to heart muscle pathology. It does not have general or figurative uses.
Cardiomyopathy is a compound word formed from "cardio-" (heart), "myo-" (muscle), and "-pathy" (disease). It is always treated as a singular noun.
A doctor shows a patient a diagram of a healthy heart and one affected by cardiomyopathy.
- a disorder (usually of unknown origin) of the heart muscle (myocardium)