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Cardiovascular disease can lead to numerous problems if you don’t take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from its potential harm. Cardio myopathy and cardiovascular disease may seem like the same thing, but they are in fact very different, with the former affecting your heart’s muscles and the latter attacking your blood vessels, among other parts of your body. If you want to know more about cardiomyopathy and cardiovascular disease, including how you can protect yourself from these conditions and how to treat them should they occur, keep reading.
Understanding What It Is
Cardiomyopathy refers to a pathological heart muscle disease that can lead to arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and sudden death. Often, dilated cardiomyopathy is associated with cardiovascular disease. During atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, LDL cholesterol builds up in arterial walls throughout your body, creating plaque. These deposits make it harder for blood vessels to work properly, which can lead to reduced blood flow through arteries that supply your heart muscle (coronary arteries). This is why atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is one of several major risk factors for cardiomyopathy. Although there’s no known cure for cardiomyopathy or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease — you can protect yourself by identifying risk factors before they lead to irreversible complications. For example, a high-fat diet can contribute to cardiovascular disease, but so can smoking and other lifestyle choices. Additionally, some medications like statins have been linked to coronary artery calcification. To protect yourself from cardiomyopathy and cardiovascular disease, be sure to understand what these conditions are as well as their risk factors. By monitoring your diet, being mindful of medications you take, and avoiding risky behaviors like smoking, you may be able to keep these diseases at bay long enough for medical science to develop more effective treatments.
What You Can Do Right Now
To start, it’s important that you get regular exercise. Even if you’re not training for a triathlon, even just moderate physical activity can help keep your heart healthy. To make sure your cardiovascular system is functioning properly, I recommend working with a sports medicine professional who can do an EKG test to determine whether you have dilated cardiomyopathy or coronary artery disease. If you have one of these conditions, heart disease runs in your family or you have high blood pressure (hypertension), speak with your doctor about taking medications such as beta-blockers that reduce stress on your heart. If medication isn’t enough and other treatments aren’t possible, talk with a cardiologist about going through cardiac rehabilitation therapy or even open-heart surgery. These procedures will help protect your heart against damage caused by diseases like dilated cardiomyopathy or coronary artery disease.
What to Do if Your Doctor Diagnoses You with Cardio Myopathy
It’s crucial to get a thorough diagnosis if you are experiencing symptoms of cardiomyopathy. The first step is meeting with your physician, who will likely order some blood tests. Depending on what those test results show, you may need additional testing. After all that, you should meet with a cardiologist who can give you an in-depth explanation of what’s happening and how it can be treated—or prevented. If your heart condition has progressed into dilated cardiomyopathy, there are certain lifestyle changes you can make (like lowering your cholesterol or cutting out alcohol) in order to prevent worsening heart failure or other serious complications. Some patients also undergo stem cell therapy for their weakened hearts. A stem cell transplant replaces old or damaged heart cells with new ones. This treatment carries risks, but many people say it was worth it because they felt better afterward. Other patients turn to artificial pacemakers for help keeping their hearts beating at a steady pace during physical activity. Doctors can prescribe beta-blockers like propranolol which slow down your heartbeat and reduce stress on your cardiovascular system during exercise. If you are diagnosed with any form of cardiomyopathy, work closely with your doctor to come up with a plan that fits your lifestyle and helps keep you healthy!
