heart and blood vessel disorders
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Treatment of Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Treatment of the disorder causing restrictive cardiomyopathy Sometimes, the disorder causing restrictive cardiomyopathy can be treated to prevent heart damage from worsening or even to partially reverse it. For example, removing blood at regular intervals reduces the amount of stored iron in people with iron overload. People who have sarcoidosis may take corticosteroids, which cause the granuloma tissue to disappear. Corticosteroids may also be helpful in eosinophilic infiltrative disorders. Medications used to decrease or control the symptoms of some types of Treatment may be helpful. However, many cases of restrictive cardiomyopathy have no specific treatment. Survival varies depending on the cause. But prognosis is typically poor because the diagnosis is often made very late. For most people, treatment is not very helpful. For example, diuretics, which are usually taken to treat heart failure, may help people who have troublesome leg swelling or shortness of breath. However, these medications also reduce the amount of blood entering the heart, which can worsen restrictive cardiomyopathy instead of improving it. Medications commonly used in heart failure to reduce the heart’s workload, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, are usually not helpful because they reduce blood pressure too much. As a result, not enough blood reaches the rest of the body. Similarly,digoxinis usually not helpful and is sometimes harmful in people with amyloidosis. Beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers are poorly tolerated in people with restrictive cardiomyopathy and have not been shown to improve survival. Antiarrhythmics may be given to prevent or reduce symptoms in people with fast or irregular heart rhythms. 