What Are the Symptoms of Restrictive Cardiomyopathy?
Many people with restrictive cardiomyopathy have no symptoms or only minor symptoms, and live a normal life. Other people develop symptoms, which progress and worsen as heart function worsens. Symptoms of restrictive cardiomyopathy can occur at any age and may include: • Shortness of breath (at first with exercise; but over time it occurs at rest). • Fatigue (feeling overly tired). • Inability to exercise. • Swelling of the legs and feet • Weight gain • Nausea, bloating, and poor appetite (related to fluid retention). • Palpitations (fluttering in the chest due to abnormal heart rhythms). Less common symptoms of restrictive cardiomyopathy: • Fainting (caused by irregular heart rhythms, abnormal responses of the blood vessels during exercise, or no cause may be found). • Chest pain or pressure (occurs usually with exercise or physical activity, but can also occur with rest or after meals).
