Knowing What Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Is
| 28th October 2006 |
One good thing about the arrhythmogenic right ventricular disease is that it generally does not affect a person’s life expectancy. But the most severe cases of this disease can cause sudden and unexpected death. And so medical attention and intense monitoring is advised to all people who have acquired this particular disease.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy is also called ARVC to make referencing to it simpler. Arrhythmogenic is defined as the heart’s electrical disturbance system that directly affects the right ventricle more than it affects the left. Cardiomyopathy, on the other hand, simply means a disease on the heart’s muscles. Putting the two definitions together, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is a disease affecting the heart muscles and is characterized by the muscle’s replacement with fatty tissues. And of the two ventricles found in the heart, it mostly affects the right side.
Early on in the disease, when a person’s heart with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is examined, it will appear abnormally thick. Later on, it will become dilated or enlarged. At that point, a thinner wall becomes evident. When this happens, the heart’s muscles had started to be reduced in size and several layers of fibrous tissue are taking its place.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy does have the possibility to progress. And it may be passed on to family members, though anybody may develop the disease. It is common to teens until they reach their 20s while it is very rare to be contracted at the age of 40. It is as rare in children, although there are a few noted cases. It may affect both men and women, regardless of their ethnicity. Interestingly enough, several cases of this disease are mostly observed in Europe, particularly in Italy and Greece.
The main cause of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is yet to be discovered. But a number of studies have shown that it can be inherited from somebody in your lineage who is suffered from it. And for this, researches are being conducted all the more to finally determine the exact roots and causes for this disease.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is a disorder that causes a problem in the heart’s pumping action. The right ventricle, because it becomes enlarged, will soon cease to work normally over time. The heart’s rhythm and beat is disturbed and its contraction is affected as well.
People with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy may have symptoms like palpitation, light-headedness, fatigue, and fainting. The most severe of them all is heart failure. All these symptoms, as well as the complications, may vary in occurrence from person to person though. Some may experience just one, while others may exhibit more than two, or may be even all of them. While this is the case, there are a few who will probably show no evident symptoms at all.
To diagnose arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, several tests must be performed. Among these are ECG, blood test, Holter monitor, exercise test, and echocardiogram. Aside from those, cardiac catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy may be performed.
To address the symptoms of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, clinical management must be conducted. First, the prescription of anti-arrhythmic drugs such as amiodarone and sotalol among others are made. If these drugs fail, the fitting of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillator are initiated. Surgery may also be done, although not very frequently. If it is performed, surgeons operate on the heart and they disconnect the injured parts from the fully functional ones.
People suffering from arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy are supposed to stay clear from rigorous exercises, as those are hazardous to their health. If they have to consult a dentist or a family doctor, their pre-existing heart conditions has to be related to them beforehand. This is to guide them as to which drugs are suitable for them and which ones are not.