Cardiac Amyloidosis, An Infiltrative Heart Disease Presenting as Arrhythmia-A Case Report

B Magesh1, Deepak Kadeli2, Sunil Bohra3

  • 1Junior Interventional Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Insights

Cardiac amyloidosis, a rare multisystem disorder, presents diagnostic challenges and poor outcomes. This case highlights systemic amyloidosis with cardiac symptoms despite negative Congo red staining, emphasizing the need for high clinical suspicion.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Cardiac amyloidosis is a rare, multisystem disorder often leading to mortality.
  • Diagnosis requires high clinical suspicion and specific echocardiographic findings.

Observation:

  • A case of systemic amyloidosis with predominantly cardiac features is presented.
  • The patient exhibited negative Congo red staining, complicating diagnosis.

Findings:

  • Echocardiographic clues included diastolic dysfunction, bi-atrial enlargement, and ventricular thickening.
  • Systemic amyloidosis can manifest primarily with cardiac symptoms, even with atypical staining results.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of considering cardiac amyloidosis in patients with unexplained cardiac dysfunction.
  • Further research into diagnostic modalities for amyloidosis with negative staining is warranted.
  • Improved therapeutic strategies are needed for better patient outcomes.

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