[Diagnosis of cardiomyopathy]

The problems of diagnosis of cardiomyopathies are discussed. Among 13 patients who died in the clinic, a correct diagnosis was made in 10. The observations permit to believe that cardiomyopathy is seen more often in males aged 41 to 55 years. The course of the disease is chronic recurrent, its onset being different in individual cases: rhythm disorders, cardiac pains, recurrent pulmonary infarctions, cerebral circulation disorders. The outcome of the disease consisted, as a rule, in progressive total cardiac insufficiency refractory to therapy. In all the cases cardiomegaly was observed, not so much at the expense of hypertrophy, but rather of dilatation of the cardiac chambers. The anatomic signs included, apart from the cardiac dilatation, moderate hypertrophy with a relative bi- and tricuspid valve insufficiency, also mural thrombi in the heart chambers.