What causes cardiomyopathy and who can get it?
There are lots of different reasons and causes of cardiomyopathy, which means anyone can have it. But usually the person affected has a problem with something like long-term high blood pressure, a very fast heart rate or they may have heart damage from something like a heart attack. Other causes can include: • Drug abuse • Drinking a lot of alcohol over many years • Pregnancy • Treatment for cancer such as chemotherapy • In some cases metabolic disorders – such as thyroid disease or diabetes – or viral infections which injure the heart are to blame for cardiomyopathy. Some types of cardiomyopathy are genetic, which means they run in families. The three main types of cardiomyopathy are: • Restrictive cardiomyopathy – makes the heart muscle stiff and less stretchy, meaning the heart can’t properly expand and fill with blood between heartbeats. It can happen at any age but most often affects older people. It’s the least common type of cardiomyopathy and can occur for no known reason. • Di
