Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is when the heart muscle is enlarged, and as a result unable to to pump blood through your body efficiently.  Cardiomyopathy mostly affects your left ventricle—the main pumping chamber of your heart.

Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by a number of factors. For example, you can develop it as a result of health conditions like coronary artery disease or high blood pressure, or it can result from health behaviors like alcohol abuse. It can affect people at at any age, but is most common in adult men.

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Dilated cardiomyopathy can lead to problems such as irregular heart rhythms, stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.