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Published on: August 8, 2022
Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy
Waleed Al Hamoudi1, Samuel S Lee
1Liver Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Insights
Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition in liver cirrhosis patients, involves hyperdynamic circulation and impaired contractility. Liver transplantation can effectively treat these cardiovascular complications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hepatology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Liver cirrhosis presents with diverse cardiovascular abnormalities, including hyperdynamic circulation and impaired ventricular function.
- These cardiac issues, collectively termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, involve structural and electrophysiological changes like QT prolongation.
- Pathogenesis is multifactorial, involving cardiomyocyte membrane changes, altered signaling pathways, and enhanced inhibitory systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
- To explore the role of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy in liver transplantation, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement, and hepatorenal syndrome.
- To discuss the therapeutic implications, particularly the role of liver transplantation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on cardiovascular abnormalities in liver cirrhosis.
- Analysis of pathogenic mechanisms underlying cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
- Evaluation of the impact of interventions like liver transplantation and TIPS.
Main Results:
- Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is characterized by increased cardiac output, decreased peripheral resistance, impaired contractility, and QT prolongation.
- It significantly contributes to cardiac dysfunction post-liver transplantation or TIPS and in hepatorenal syndrome.
- Liver transplantation improves hemodynamic dysfunctions, including cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and QT interval prolongation.
Conclusions:
- Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a distinct clinical entity in liver cirrhosis with significant implications for patient outcomes.
- Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for cardiovascular complications associated with liver cirrhosis.
- Further research into empirical treatments for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is warranted.
Abstract:
Liver cirrhosis is associated with a wide range of cardiovascular abnormalities. These abnormalities include hyperdynamic circulation characterized by an increase in cardiac output and a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. Despite the increased cardiac output, impaired ventricular contractility in response to both physiological and pharmacological stimuli has been described. Other cardiac abnormalities include structural changes including enlargement or hypertrophy of different cardiac chambers and electrophysiological changes such as QT prolongation. This constellation of cardiac abnormalities is termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. The pathogenic mechanisms of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy are multifactorial and include cardiomyocyte plasma membrane physico-chemical changes, attenuated stimulatory pathways, and enhanced activity of inhibitory systems. Accumulating evidence suggests that cirrhotic cardiomyopathy plays a major role in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction following liver transplantation or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement. Recent research also strongly suggests that cirrhotic cardiomyopathy contributes to the pathogenesis of hepatorenal syndrome, especially following infections such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Treatment of this syndrome remains largely empirical. Successful liver transplantation is thought to improve all the organ-related hemodynamic dysfunctions, including hepatopulmonary syndrome, cerebral hypoperfusion, hepatorenal syndrome, and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. The prolonged QT interval normalizes following liver transplantation. Thus, liver transplantation appears to be the ultimate treatment for the cardiovascular complications of cirrhosis.
Related Concept Videos
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Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Cirrhosis I: Introduction

