[Cardiomyopathies].

Abstract

A) Definition and classification. Cardiomyopathy is defined as a dysfunction of cardiac muscle of unknown origin and classified according to genetic, morphological and functional criteria as follows: 1. cardiomyopathy of autosomal dominant inheritance with asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH) a) obstructive b) non obstructive 2. cardiomyopathy of autosomal dominant inheritance without ASH 3. cardiomyopathy of autosomal recessive inheritance 4. sporadic cardiomyopathy. It is assumed that at least the cardiomyopathies listed here are heterogeneous groups that have to be subdivided as soon as further discriminating findings--structural or enzymatic--are available. B) Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment. The diagnostic methods are evaluated, the prognosis and the treatment of the cardiomyopathies are reviewed.