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Cardiomyopathies: An Overview
Tiziana Ciarambino1, Giovanni Menna2, Gennaro Sansone2
1Internal Emergency Department, Hospital of Marcianise, 81037 ASL Caserta, Italy.
Insights
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common primary cardiomyopathy and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in athletes. Understanding normal versus pathological heart changes is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Cardiomyopathies encompass diverse heart pathologies affecting structure and function.
- These conditions require accurate diagnosis and management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key cardiomyopathies, focusing on epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
- To highlight the significance of differentiating normal adaptations from pathological changes.
Main Methods:
- A literature search was conducted on PubMed up to March 30, 2021.
- Keywords included "cardiomyopathies," "sudden cardiac arrest," and specific cardiomyopathy types (DCM, HCM, RCM, ARCV, Takotsubo).
Main Results:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects 1:500 individuals, being the most common primary cardiomyopathy.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) affects 1:2500 and is a primary indication for heart transplantation.
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) accounts for 2-5% of cases; Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ARCV) involves fibrofatty tissue replacement; Takotsubo syndrome presents with acute cardiac dysfunction due to stress.
Conclusions:
- HCM is a significant cause of sudden death in US athletes.
- Distinguishing exercise-induced cardiac changes from pathological conditions is critical.
Background:
Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of pathologies characterized by structural and functional alterations of the heart.
Aims:
The purpose of this narrative review is to focus on the most important cardiomyopathies and their epidemiology, diagnosis, and management.
Methods:
Clinical trials were identified by Pubmed until 30 March 2021. The search keywords were "cardiomyopathies, sudden cardiac arrest, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ARCV), takotsubo syndrome".
Results:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common primary cardiomyopathy, with a prevalence of 1:500 persons. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has a prevalence of 1:2500 and is the leading indication for heart transplantation. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is the least common of the major cardiomyopathies, representing 2% to 5% of cases. Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ARCV) is a pathology characterized by the substitution of the myocardium by fibrofatty tissue. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is defined as an abrupt onset of left ventricular dysfunction in response to severe emotional or physiologic stress.
Conclusion:
In particular, it has been reported that HCM is the most important cause of sudden death on the athletic field in the United States. It is needless to say how important it is to know which changes in the heart due to physical activity are normal, and when they are pathological.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy I: Introduction and Classification
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

