ardiomyopathies are diseasesof the heart muscle that renderthe heart unable to properlypump enough blood to the body. In thedilated form of cardiomyopathy(called dilated cardiomyopathy orDCM), the heart is enlarged (Figure 1).As the heart enlarges, it becomes lesseffective in pumping blood, whichthen leads to symptoms of heart failureand irregular heart rhythms (arrhyth-mias). It is estimated that approxi-mately 1 out of every 2500 persons hasDCM, although the disease is probablyeven more common. DCM affects bothmen and women and can affect bothadults and children. As with othertypes of cardiomyopathies, DCM is achronic disease without a known cure.However, the treatments currentlyavailable can significantly improve itscourse.
