[Dilated cardiomyopathy--diagnosis and conservative therapy]
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F M Fruhwald1, N Watzinger, M Schumacher
1Abteilung für Kardiologie, Medizinischen Universitätsklinik Graz.
Insights
Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) diagnosis requires excluding other causes through various tests. Treatment involves established and optional therapies, but the individual disease course remains uncertain despite prognostic factors.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Abstract:
Diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) is a diagnosis of exclusion. Physical examination of the patient, non-invasive tests and invasive tests have to be done to exclude secondary dilated cardiomyopathies. Treatment can be divided into baseline therapy, established treatment, e.g. ACE-inhibitors, digitalis and diuretics and optional treatment including betablocker, anticoagulation and an natural course of IDC for an individual patient is not clear although there are several prognostic parameters for this disease.