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Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a condition characterized by enlargement of the main pumping chamber of the heart caused by ischemic heart disease, usually coronary artery disease. Among patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle is either permanently damaged, usually due to a heart attack, or "hibernating" due to the prolonged lack of oxygen-rich blood. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy, a general term used to describe forms of heart disease in which the pumping chambers (ventricles) of the heart have expanded. The name ischemic cardiomyopathy comes from the following:
- Ischemic refers to episodes of cardiac ischemia that occur when the heart is not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. The most common cause of cardiac ischemia is coronary artery disease caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. In this condition, the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood are blocked by plaque deposits, thus limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
- Cardiomyopathy is any disease of the heart muscle. It is most often used to refer to a heart that is abnormally enlarged, thickened and/or stiffened.
Treatment for an ischemic cardiomyopathy depends on the extent of the coronary artery disease, the extent of damage to the heart muscle and the severity of symptoms. In most cases, medications are effective treatments. In severe cases that do not respond to medication or other forms of medical therapy, a heart transplant may be necessary.
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