Dilated cardiomyopathy historical perspective
Overview
The etiology of dilated cardiomyopathy remained elusive for a long time that it was defined by the World Health Organization as a "heart muscle disorder of unknown cause". However, recent research highlighted several genetic mutations that are associated with the condition. Therefore, the more recent definition by the American Heart Association was "a myocardial disorder with mechanical dysfunction, which usually exhibits inappropriate ventricular dilatation, due to a variety of etiologies that frequently are genetic".
Historical Perspective
In the 1980s, the World Health Organization defined cardiomyopathies as “heart muscle diseases of unknown cause”.[1] This definition reflected the poor understanding of disease etiology. Over the past two decades, significant advances have been made in understanding the genetic etiology of dilated cardiomyopathy. Mutations in over 80 genes have been associated with this condition.[2] Therefore, more recently, the American Heart Association defined cardiomyopathies as "a heterogeneous group of diseases of the myocardium associated with mechanical and/or electrical dysfunction, which usually (but not invariably) exhibit inappropriate ventricular hypertrophy or dilatation, due to a variety of etiologies that frequently are genetic".[3] Recent studies have revealed the complexity of the genetic basis for dilated cardiomyopathy; however, much remains to be investigated to fully understand the etiology of this condition.
References
- ↑ "Report of the WHO/ISFC task force on the definition and classification of cardiomyopathies". Br Heart J. 44 (6): 672–3. 1980. doi:10.1136/hrt.44.6.672. PMC 482464. PMID 7459150.
- ↑ Hershberger RE, Hedges DJ, Morales A (2013). "Dilated cardiomyopathy: the complexity of a diverse genetic architecture". Nat Rev Cardiol. 10 (9): 531–47. doi:10.1038/nrcardio.2013.105. PMID 23900355.
- ↑ Maron BJ, Towbin JA, Thiene G, Antzelevitch C, Corrado D, Arnett D; et al. (2006). "Contemporary definitions and classification of the cardiomyopathies: an American Heart Association Scientific Statement from the Council on Clinical Cardiology, Heart Failure and Transplantation Committee; Quality of Care and Outcomes Research and Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Interdisciplinary Working Groups; and Council on Epidemiology and Prevention". Circulation. 113 (14): 1807–16. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.174287. PMID 16567565.