[Heart failure due to metabolic heart disorders]

The classification of myocardial diseases, proposed by the WHO/ISFC task force in 1980, distinguishes specific heart muscle diseases from myocardial diseases of unknown origin, termed cardiomyopathies. In this article, specific heart muscle diseases caused by metabolic disturbances are reviewed. The disorders were categorized into 4 types: 1. endocrine disorders; 2. storage or infiltration disorders, such as amyloidosis, hemochromatosis and familial storage disorders; 3. nutritional disorders, such as Kwashiorkor, beri-beri, obesity and alcoholic and electrolyte disorders; and 4. Diabetic heart. Since the first type disorders have been covered by a separate review, the other 3 types were covered in this article. A common clinical picture of these disorders is chronic congestive heart failure. The pathogenesis and laboratory findings of these disorders are briefly discussed.