What are the main complications of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)?
Dr Ravi Assomull explains the potential complications of dilated cardiomyopathy, including worsening heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms and an increased risk of stroke. In certain high-risk patients, preventative treatments such as ICD implantation may help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Learn more about Cardiomyopathy or book a consultation with Dr Assomull – no GP referral needed, appointments typically within one working day.
Transcript
So the main risks of DCM are symptoms of worsening heart failure. So you'd see typically more breathlessness, more fluid retention, swollen ankles. In a proportion of patients with heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillations, there is a risk of clot formation and stroke.
Unfortunately, a significant proportion of people with severe dilated cardiomyopathy are at risk of sudden cardiac death. And for those patients, we try and identify them and implant preventative treatment such as an ICD, which is a special form of pacemaker that shocks patients with abnormal heart rhythms back into a safe heart rhythm.
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