Dilated cardiomyopathy

Depending on the cause, DCM can develop and cause symptoms at any time from childhood to old age.

As your heart muscle becomes weaker and less able to pump, this can lead to fluid building up in your legs, abdomen, lungs and other parts of your body. This may indicate congestive heart failure.

Other symptoms can include:

• fatigue or tiring easily.
• palpitations
• swollen legs, ankles or abdomen
• shortness of breath.

DCM can also cause an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), heart valve problems and blood clots.

If your GP or consultant thinks you may have DCM, the most common way to confirm a diagnosis is through an echocardiogram. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of your heart, which shows its structure and function in real time.

You may also have:

• a cardiac stress test to investigate how efficiently your heart is working
• an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the electrical activity of your heart. 

Your consultant or GP will also speak to you about your lifestyle any family history of heart disease. They'll discuss your symptoms with you to determine the best approach with the help of our experienced cardiologists and electrophysiologists who specialise in heart rhythm disorders.

The outlook for patients with DCM has dramatically improved over the last 10 years. Sometimes there are specific treatments for an underlying cause. Otherwise the combination of evidence based medicines and sometimes pacemakers or ICDs usually lead to a significant improvement in patients with DCM.

HCA UK is home to some of the most advanced cardiac care facilities and a dedicated group of consultant cardiologists, cardiac physiologists, and clinical nurse specialists who are experienced in helping to manage inherited cardiac conditions, including DCM.