Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart’s left ventricle, the main pumping chamber, loses its ability to pump blood. The Johns Hopkins Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure Practice uses a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate and manage patients with cardiomyopathy. Our multidisciplinary team includes, along with our medical and surgical specialists, professionals from social work, dietary counseling, physical rehabilitation, educational programs and support groups. Our goal is to empower patients to better care for themselves by improving compliance, patient understanding and family support. We believe transplantation is the "court of last resort" and will do everything possible to avoid transplantation. Because cardiomyopathy is difficult to diagnose early, it is rarely treated in its beginning stage. At Johns Hopkins, our treatment goal is to relieve any complicating factors, control symptoms, and stop the disease's progression. No known cure exists. Core components: Services provided: To be evaluated for cardiomyopathy, one of our physicians will first examine you at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center or Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, or at one of our community sites -- Green Spring Station, White Marsh, Odenton, or Columbia. If necessary, we may ask you to undergo one or more of the following tests: - An electrocardiogram, also called an ECG or EKG, records your heart's electrical activity during rest to determine abnormal heart rhythms.
- A cardiac catheterization to evaluate pressure in the heart. This test involves inserting a thin plastic tube through a blood vessel until it reaches the heart; injecting a dye into the blood vessels; and taking X-rays to assess the heart’s structure and function.
- A pressure-volume analysis to measure the amount of blood flow put out by the heart during each beat. This test was developed by Johns Hopkins clinicians, and the results can help your doctor pinpoint what kind of cardiomyopathy you may have.
- X-rays to see if the heart is enlarged.
- An echocardiogram which uses ultrasound waves to image the heart’s structure and movement.
- A biopsy, or small sample, of the heart muscle or tissue is taken and sent to a laboratory for analysis. This helps determine the extent of disease.
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