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Published on: August 8, 2022
[Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy disclosing Friedreich's disease. Report of a case]
A Darif1, M Zahraoui, A Bennis
1Service de cardiologie, CHU lbn Rochd, Casablanca, Maroc. adarif54@Hotmail.com
Insights
Friedreich's disease is rarely associated with cardiomyopathy, presenting uniquely with severe cardiac dysfunction. This rare cardiac manifestation indicates a poor prognosis in affected individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Genetics
Background:
- Friedreich's ataxia is a rare inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
- Cardiac involvement, specifically cardiomyopathy, is an uncommon but serious complication.
Observation:
- A 21-year-old woman presented with congestive cardiac failure secondary to concentric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Neurological assessment revealed symptoms characteristic of Friedreich's disease, including cerebellar and radiculo-cordonal syndromes.
Findings:
- Echocardiography demonstrated severe left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction without ejection obstruction.
- The case highlights the infrequent occurrence of cardiomyopathy in Friedreich's disease.
Implications:
- Cardiomyopathy in Friedreich's disease has a distinct presentation.
- This cardiac complication is associated with a poor prognosis.
- Increased awareness and monitoring for cardiac issues in Friedreich's patients are crucial.
Abstract:
The authors report the case of a 21 year old woman admitted to hospital for congestive cardiac failure due to concentric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography showed severe systolo-diastolic left ventricular dysfunction without obstruction to ejection. Neurological examination showed a stato-kinetic cerebellar syndrome, a posterior radiculo-cordonal syndrome and a dysmorphic syndrome which characterise Friedreich's disease. In the light of this case and a review of the literature, the authors underline the rarity of cardiomyopathy in Friedreich's disease, its particular presentation and its poor prognostic significance in this disease.
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