Cardiac amyloidosis
Cardiac Amyloidosis
Cardiac amyloidosis (pronounced: kahr-dee-ak am-uh-loi-doh-sis) is a medical condition characterized by the buildup of abnormal proteins, known as amyloid, in the heart tissue, which can lead to heart failure.
Etymology
The term "Cardiac amyloidosis" is derived from two words. "Cardiac" comes from the Greek word "kardia", meaning heart, and "amyloidosis" is derived from the Greek words "amylon", meaning starch, and "-osis", indicating a pathological condition.
Definition
Cardiac amyloidosis is a form of amyloidosis, a disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid proteins in various organs of the body. In cardiac amyloidosis, these proteins accumulate in the heart, impairing its function and potentially leading to heart failure.
Symptoms
Symptoms of cardiac amyloidosis may include fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs and ankles, irregular heartbeat, and weight loss.
Causes
Cardiac amyloidosis can be caused by several types of amyloid proteins. The most common types associated with this condition are light chain amyloidosis (AL) and transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). AL is associated with bone marrow disorders, while ATTR can be either hereditary or acquired.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis typically involves a combination of physical examination, medical history, and diagnostic tests such as blood and urine tests, echocardiogram, and cardiac MRI. In some cases, a biopsy of the heart tissue may be required.
Treatment
Treatment for cardiac amyloidosis aims to manage symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. This may involve medications to manage heart failure symptoms, chemotherapy for AL amyloidosis, or liver transplant for hereditary ATTR amyloidosis.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cardiac amyloidosis
- Wikipedia's article - Cardiac amyloidosis
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